Climate Change Solutions - January 24, 2023 | Newsletter

Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

This week's issue is focused on driving down greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which is responsible for a third of U.S. emissions. Keep reading for articles on the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program and a new national blueprint for reducing U.S. transportation emissions.

Plus, our Congressional Climate Camp series kicks off this Thursday, January 26 with a briefing on budget and appropriations.

Federal Electric School Bus Awards Drive a Cleaner, Greener Future for Kids Nationwide
[5 min read]

More than 90 percent of school buses in the United States are powered by diesel. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the health of those in and around school buses, communities are pushing to electrify their fleets. The Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help school districts across the country replace their diesel-powered buses with cleaner ones. [click for more]

National Plan Aims to Eliminate Transportation Emissions
[5 min read]

In January 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration released the first-ever interagency blueprint for reducing emissions from the U.S. transportation sector, which emits more greenhouse gases than any other sector. The blueprint builds upon existing federal investments and initiatives to cut nearly all transportation emissions by 2050. [click for more]

Climate Adaptation: A Review of Federal Legislation Enacted Since 2017
[4 min read]

In 2022 alone, 18 disasters causing $1 billion or more in losses hit the United States. To understand how Congress is seeking to address these increasingly costly and frequent disasters, EESI looked at the climate adaptation-related legislation enacted over the past six years—from the 115th through the 117th Congress. [click for more]

New House Leadership Announcements: House committees received their chair assignments. Notably, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) will chair the Committee on Agriculture, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) will chair the Committee on Natural Resources, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) will chair the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Strategic Petroleum Reserve: On January 12, the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act (H.R.22) passed the House. The bill would prohibit petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from being sold or exported to China.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for January 9-13 and January 16-20.

Briefing Series: Congressional Climate Camp

Every other Thursday starting January 26, 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
All briefings are in person and also available via livestream at eesi.org/livecast

Ready to make a difference in climate policy but not sure where to start? Join us for our start-of-the-new Congress briefing series, Congressional Climate Camp. We will go over the basics of the legislative process and highlight key areas for climate mitigation and adaptation policy.

Budget and Appropriations
Thursday, January 26, 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center - SVC 200 (Senate Side)
The first briefing will bring you up to speed on the budget and appropriations process already underway for fiscal year 2024. Panelists will draw on examples of funding for climate, energy, and environment programs to show how the process plays out in practice. RSVP

Public Polling on Climate Change
Thursday, February 9, 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center - CVC 217 (House Side)
The second session will explore the latest analyses of public opinion on climate change across sectors and geography and explain why it matters for the 118th Congress. RSVP

Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases
Thursday, February 23, 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center - CVC 268
The third session will examine the sources of and solutions to address methane, nitrous oxides, and fluorinated gases. RSVP

Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Thursday, March 9, 2:00pm - 3:30pm EST
The final session will describe how state and local governments are accessing funds and explain the oversight role Congress must play to maximize these investments to advance climate work and strengthen critical infrastructure. RSVP

Latest Media Coverage

Yahoo News cited EESI's recently revised issue brief, The Growth in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Commercial Aviation, in an article about green air travel.

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Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Daniel Bresette, President

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.

Climate Change Solutions - January 24, 2023

Featuring content on electric school buses, transportation emissions, and climate adaptation

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