Climate Change Solutions - February 1, 2022 | Newsletter

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All aboard Climate Change Solutions!

Buckle up, because this issue is all about transportation.

Join the jet set with the first two installments of the four-part sustainable aviation fuels article series, navigating the science and policies behind this technology.

Next stop: electric vehicles, with articles covering electric school bus initiatives at two electric co-ops in Colorado, and a new, native-led EV charging network in the Midwest.

Shifting gears, a Q&A with the Dutch Cycling Embassy describes how multiple modes of transportation can be combined to promote healthier and more sustainable urban environments.

A new issue brief on the emissions at U.S ports dives into programs to electrify port equipment and adapt infrastructure to climate change, and former EESI intern Hamilton Steimer traces his path to becoming an e-mobility research analyst at the World Resources Institute.

Our port of call is season 3 of The Climate Conversation podcast! Learn about misguided coastal resilience efforts in Charleston, South Carolina, with Dan Bresette, Amber Todoroff, and their guest Dr. Rob Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University.

Have a climate solution? Send tips to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff!

EESI is now operating from a new office. Please update your records! Our new address is:

Environmental and Energy Study Institute
1020 19th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Headlines New Article Series! Sustainable Aviation Fuels: A Critical Emissions Mitigation Strategy Gaining Momentum Part 1: An Introduction to Sustainable Aviation Fuels [5 min. read] In October 2021, major players in the U.S. commercial aviation industry announced a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Achieving this goal, however, will be a challenge. The strategy with the most promise for reducing the sector’s carbon footprint in the near and medium term is expanding the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is Part 1 of a four-part series on SAF and its role in reducing aviation emissions. [click for more]
	Part 2: Grand Challenge and Federal Legislation Seek to Advance Sustainable Aviation Fuels [4 min. read] The Biden-Harris Administration and Congress are focusing on expanding the use of sustainable aviation fuel through multi-agency coordination to reduce climate emissions from aviation. This is Part 2 of a four-part series on sustainable aviation fuels. [click for more]
	New Electric School Buses in Colorado Provide Safer, Cleaner, Cheaper Rides [5 min. read] There are almost half a million school buses in the United States and nearly all run on diesel fuel. Two electric co-ops in Colorado have helped local school districts secure electric school buses to provide rides with cleaner interior air and fewer toxic emissions—all while saving money on power. [click for more]
	Indigenous Communities to Launch EV Charging Network in Midwest [5 min. read] Bob Blake, executive director of Native Sunza—a native-led, Minneapolis-based nonprofit promoting a just energy transition—describes a new project to deploy electric vehicle charging stations in tribal areas and how it can help Indigenous and rural communities in the Midwest move away from fossil fuels. [click for more]
	Q&A: The Dutch Lead the Way in Cycling, Here Are Some Tips for the U.S. [5 min. read] Chris Bruntlett, the marketing and communications manager at the Dutch Cycling Embassy, discusses how Dutch urban planning encourages and facilitates cycling and public transport, and what policymakers in the United States can learn from their success.[click for more]

On the Hill

January 18 to 28, Congress covered a wide variety of climate related issues:

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on the energy impacts of cryptocurrency. Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) stated that the hearing would "examine the potential environmental costs of the cryptomining industry and what can be done to address those impacts.”

The House Committee on Natural Resources also held a hearing on how oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico could impact U.S. climate targets.

In addition, Senator Christopher Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Scott Peters (D-Calif.) introduced bills (S.3531 and H.R.6461) that would require the federal government to produce a national climate adaptation and resilience strategy.

The Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for Farmers Act (H.R.6390), introduced by Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), would expand the Rural Energy for America program to include financial assistance for electric vehicle charging equipment.

And the Climate Resilience Workforce Act (H.R.6492) introduced by Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) would create new programs to help states build resilience to climate impacts.

See EESI's full environment and energy legislative trackers for January 18-21 and January 24-28.

EESI News, Briefings, and Fact Sheets

	Issue Brief \| Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports (2022) Extreme heat, increasing storm severity, and sea level rise are a few of the climate threats affecting ports. As ninety percent of the world’s goods are transported by ship, disruptions to ports can ripple across the global economy and supply chains. Learn how ports are reducing their climate footprint and adapting to climate change in this issue brief! [click for more]
	Starting a Career in Electric Vehicle Policy: My Journey from EESI [3 min. read] Former EESI intern Hamilton Steimer shares how his time working with EESI's Access Clean Energy Savings team prepared him for a research analyst position at the World Resources Institute (WRI). [click for more]
	Season 3 is here! Episode 1: Expert Perspective - Coastal Resilience with Dr. Rob Young [26 min. listen] Dan Bresette and Amber Todoroff interview coastal geography expert Dr. Rob Young, Western Carolina University's director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines and an EESI Advisory Board member. They discuss climate change threats to Charleston, South Carolina, a proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seawall project, and solutions to make the coastline more resilient. [click for more]

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EESI Around Town

An EESI article about adopting electric vehicles in rural communities was cited in a piece from MarketWatch about bipartisan efforts to expand EV infrastructure in rural America.

Upcoming Events

Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America

Briefing Series | Agencies in Action: Federal Programs That Deliver Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits Every Day

Tuesday, February 8
2:00pm - 3:30pm

EESI invites you to a briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners will discuss how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covers federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation.

The first briefing in the series will feature the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which provides rural electric cooperatives, other rural utilities, credit unions, and green banks with zero-percent loans to launch or expand energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and renewable energy on-bill financing programs.

RSVP here!

Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions:

Emma Johnson and Alison Davis - Layout, Design, and Content Editors

Amaury Laporte - Communications Director

As well as all EESI Staff, Interns, and Fellows who write and review content!

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.

www.eesi.org

CFC #10627

Climate Change Solutions - February 1, 2022

Featuring content on sustainable aviation, cycling infrastructure, and electric school buses

Table Of Contents

Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions: