Climate Change Solutions - April 18, 2023

Supporting Efficiency in Agriculture: Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and a bipartisan group led by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) introduced the Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act of 2023 (H.R.1495/S.719). The bill would create a program that loans funds for producers to purchase precision agriculture equipment, which includes technology like GPS mapping, crop and soil sensors, and the Internet of Things. Precision agriculture has the power to yield climate and economic benefits for producers by allowing them to make their operations more efficient, such as by helping calibrate usage of inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and water. 

Going Green with Hemp: The Free to Grow Act of 2023 (H.R.1428) was also introduced by a bipartisan group of members of Congress led by Rep. David Trone (D-Md.). The bill would repeal previous legislation that prohibited people with felony drug convictions from growing hemp. Hemp’s potential as an environmentally-friendly input for products like paper, textiles, fuel, and building materials have made it a hot topic in the upcoming Farm Bill. EESI's latest article on hemp discusses ways the Farm Bill could help bolster hemp production.

Coastal Protections Coasting Along in the House: Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) introduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act (H.R.2545) in the House. The bill would designate nearly 250,000 acres of public land in California’s Central Coast region as wilderness, protecting it from further development. Also in the House, Rep. William Keating (D-Mass.) introduced H.R.2560, a bill that would establish a grant program for sea turtle rescue assistance.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for April 3-7 and April 10-14.

EESI is tracking recent announcements and updates from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. 

• The Department of Energy released a Notice of Intent for Renew America's Nonprofits, a $50 million grant program dedicated to helping nonprofits afford energy efficiency upgrades. EESI's Energy Efficiency for Nonprofits page takes a deeper dive into the topic. 
• The Department of the Interior announced $585 million in funding dedicated to water infrastructure improvement and repairs in the West.
• The Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement for $450 million in funding for clean energy demonstrations on current or former mine land. EESI's article on clean energy development on reclaimed mine lands takes a deeper look at some of the benefits of programs like these. 
• The Department of Energy announced $72 million in funding dedicated to expanding job pathways in clean energy, with funding allocated toward Industrial Assessment Center programs at universities, trade schools, community colleges, and union training programs.

• The Department of the Treasury released proposed guidance on the IRA's clean vehicle tax credits.
• The Department of Energy released a Notice of Intent and Request for Information on deploying $1 billion in funding for technical assistance for developing state and local building energy code improvements. 
• The White House released a guidebook for Indigenous communities detailing tax incentives and funding programs that tribes are eligible for through the Inflation Reduction Act.