Climate Change Solutions - June 23, 2020

Hello and welcome to another packed edition of Climate Change Solutions!

In this issue, we explore how energy efficiency and creative financing programs help build a resilient and equitable future, highlight Virginia's work in clean energy, and provide a dive deep into Capitol Hill Ocean Week. 

On the Hill, we cover the Senate's recent decision to permanently support conservation, and a recent bill from the House to update transportation infrastructure.

Also look out for our Q&A with the director of the Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office!

And now for a look at the latest in environmental and energy news:

• Lyft commits to 100% electric vehicles by 2030
• Engineers find a way to convert waste carbon dioxide into useful material
• An Arctic Siberian town hits a new temperature high of 100 degrees
• The International Energy Agency laid out a $3 trillion climate plan to rebuild economies in the wake of COVID-19
• Study suggests surgery anesthesia can have a substantial impact on greenhouse gas emissions
• Rising seas and other coastal hazards threaten the future of 30-year mortgages
• The Vatican urges Catholics to stop investing in fossil fuels
• The National Wildlife Federation came out with a report on The Protective Value of Nature
• Energy efficiency group ACEEE calls for mandatory building performance standards to achieve emissions goals
• A spike in floppy-nosed antelope births gives scientists hope for the species
  • And it was found that hummingbirds can see colors we can't even imagine!

Love our work? Join our team! EESI is now hiring a Policy Director—read more and apply here: www.eesi.org/jobs

And if you have a climate solution, reach out to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff with tips, gossip, or just to say hi!

Video Short: Why is energy efficiency so important for low-income households? Anne McKibbin, Policy Director of Elevate Energy (Illinois), explains the importance of energy efficiency and weatherization, especially for low-income households.   Headlines States Are Using Innovative Financing Programs to Spur Climate Resilience As communities around the United States face the impacts of climate change, policymakers are increasingly focusing on not just reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also adapting to climate impacts by building resilient communities. [click for more]   Virginia’s Latest Session Is a Milestone for the State’s Clean Energy Advocates With legislative sessions disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, state legislatures have passed significantly fewer energy-related laws in 2020 than in 2019. However, Virginia defied this trend. [click for more] Ocean Partnerships Highlighted during Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) Speakers at CHOW 2020 emphasized the importance of a range of partnerships at local, regional, and global scales for advancing the policies and science that protect ocean and Great Lake biodiversity. [click for more]

On the Hill   From June 8 to 22, 2020, 7 bills were referred to committees in the Senate and 12 in the House to address environmental and energy issues. One bill related to energy and environmental issues was reported out of committee in the House and one bill passed the Senate.    Highlights On June 17, the Senate voted 73-25 to pass the Great American Outdoors Act (S.3422), which will permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and address the maintenance backlog in federal land areas, including national parks. Congress also focused on infrastructure during this time period. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act (H.R.2). The INVEST in America Act would authorize funds to federal highways, transit programs, and safety programs. Also the following bills were introduced: H.R.7160 and H.R.7205 would expand installation of broadband infrastructure. S.3976 would amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. See EESI's full environmental legislative tracker for June 8 - June 22   Senate Votes to Permanently Support Land and Water Conservation Fund The Great American Outdoors Act passed the Senate in a 73-25 vote June 17. The GAO Act authorizes $900 million in annual expenditures from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and could be used to help resolve the nearly $30 billion backlog in federal conservation needs across all public lands. [click for more]   The INVEST in America Act Addresses Climate Change Through Resilient, Clean Infrastructure The INVEST in America Act would allocate $319 billion to highway investments, $105 billion to transit investments, $10 billion to passenger vehicle and commercial motor vehicle safety investments, and $60 billion to rail investments. [click for more]

EESI Briefings, News and Fact Sheets   Q&A: Ocean Energy and Monitoring Innovation with DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) EESI spoke with Alejandro Moreno, director of WPTO at DOE, to discuss the potential for advancing ocean-monitoring and renewable energy technologies for marine science and the American economy. [click for more]   Briefing Series: Rural Communities, Climate, and COVID-19 Recovery EESI held a series of online briefings about rural communities, climate change, and COVID-19 recovery. The briefings explored the challenges rural communities face, including high energy costs, a struggling agriculture industry, and low investment in resilient infrastructure, as well as the solutions rural communities have developed in the face of these multiple stressors. [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI's Aviation factsheet was cited in an article about the global responses to COVID-19.   EESI's Fossil Fuel Subsidies factsheet was cited in an article about upgrading the U.S. energy grid. Upcoming Events   ONLINE-ONLY: 2020 Congressional Clean Energy EXPO and Policy Forum July 30 Stay tuned for further logistics! The 23rd Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum will bring together 16-24 businesses, trade associations, and government agencies to showcase renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.  The bipartisan House & Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses are the EXPO's honorary co-hosts.   Biogas: Driving the U.S. Circular Economy September 10 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm EST Rayburn HOB Room 2168 (Gold Room) Held in conjunction with the American Biogas Council, experts will discuss the role biogas systems play in industrial models that "repurpose, reuse, and recycle." Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions: Sydney O'Shaughnessy - Layout, Design, and Content Editor 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