Climate Change Solutions - August 2, 2022 | Newsletter

Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

This issue is all about EESI's Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Policy Forum, which was held on July 25, with the House and Senate REEE Caucuses serving as honorary co-hosts. The Senate REEE Caucus is co-chaired by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.). The House REEE Caucus is chaired by Representative Ron Kind (D-Wis.).

The Policy Forum featured panel discussions on implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with a focus on energy modernization, buildings and workforce, transportation, and energy security. Watch a recording of the event here!

Also last week, Senate Democrats unveiled the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes what would be historic climate investments. Senators are preparing to maneuver the bill through the budget reconciliation process beginning this week.

Climate Change Solutions is taking an August break and will return to your inbox on September 13.

Have a climate solution? Send tips to Savannah Bertrand!

Headlines
Implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Policy Forum In-Depth
[5 min. read]

Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was the focus of EESI’s Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Forum on July 25. EESI sat down with participating clean energy organizations to understand how they are mobilizing to ensure that the law helps accelerate the clean energy transition and what federal actions are needed next. [click for more]

Supporting Workforces in the Clean Energy Transition: Policy Forum In-Depth
[4 min. read]

As the United States moves towards a decarbonized economy, it is essential to uplift communities and workforces in the process. For this article, clean energy leaders whose organizations participated in EESI's Policy Forum explain how they are supporting communities and local workforces in the transition. [click for more]

Key Resources Informing Climate Policy: Policy Forum In-Depth
[4 min. read]

In this article, clean energy organizations that participated in EESI's Policy Forum share key resources helping to inform climate policy. Resources range from renewable energy industry deep dives to roadmaps for electric vehicle policy. [click for more]

Congressional Hearings Leading Up to the 2023 Farm Bill
[13 min. read]

Roughly every five years, Congress passes a farm bill, covering a wide range of issues from conservation to rural development to food and nutrition. We have updated our Congressional 2023 Farm Bill hearing tracker to include climate, environmental, and energy highlights from the latest hearings. [click for more]

On the Hill

Draft text of the Inflation Reduction Act was released. It proposes $369 billion to combat the climate crisis over the next 10 years and will reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 40 percent by 2030. If passed, the budget reconciliation package would create a national climate bank, expand tax credits for clean energy and electric vehicles, support climate-smart agriculture, bolster production of sustainable aviation fuel, reduce air pollution at ports, and much more. Check out this summary of the climate highlights.

The CHIPS and Science Act (H.R.4346) passed the House and Senate and now waits for President Biden's signature. The legislation will bolster domestic production of semiconductor chips and make investments in scientific research. Check out this breakdown of the bill for more.

The House passed the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act (H.R.5118), a package of nearly 50 bills that includes investing in ecosystem and water infrastructure improvements, boosting wildland firefighting pay and leave, and improving wildfire programs. Check out this one-pager from the House Natural Resources Committee for additional highlights. EESI’s briefing Living with Climate Change: Wildfires provides more context on policies and practices to reduce wildfire risk in the United States.

The Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R. 2021) passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. The bill aims to integrate environmental justice considerations into all steps of federal decision-making and is the result of a process that began in late 2018 and incorporated guidance from environmental justice leaders. For more information, check out our article, "Environmental Justice Bill Seeks to Incorporate Climate Justice into Federal Actions."

On the topic of the 2023 Farm Bill, the House Agriculture Committee held hearings on crop insurance and the Hemp Production Program. Check out the climate, environmental, and energy highlights of the Congressional hearings on the 2023 Farm Bill here.

See the full environment and energy legislative trackers for July 18-22 and July 25-29.

EESI News and Briefings

Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Forum

Highlight notes are now available for the Policy Forum panels:

Briefing Highlight Notes: Offshore Wind Energy

In June, EESI held a briefing about offshore wind energy, part of our Scaling Up Innovation to Drive Down Emissions series. Panelists discussed the opportunities and challenges for scaling up offshore wind energy and the policies needed to make that happen. Check out summary notes here.

U.S. Climate Resilience Strategy: Prospects for Congressional Action

EESI co-hosted a virtual event on advancing a national climate resilience strategy with Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and Resilience Roadmap. Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and John Curtis (R-Utah) discussed prospects for further action on climate resilience in Congress. Watch the recording.

EESI Around Town

EESI's Executive Director Daniel Bresette was quoted in an article from Christian Science Monitor about the Inflation Reduction Act.

The following articles covered EESI's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy Forum:

One article from Inside EPA focused on the Policy Forum's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Energy Modernization panel.
The energy trade publication RTO Insider produced three articles on the Policy Forum, covering how industry groups view the energy future, how new transportation technologies can lower emissions, and strategies to address energy security concerns.

Thanks to all EESI staff, interns, and fellows who contribute to Climate Change Solutions

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Daniel Bresette, Executive Director

EESI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus to provide timely information and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.