Climate Change Solutions - May 16, 2023

Coastal Protection Passes: The Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act of 2023 (H.R.676) passed out of the House. The bipartisan bill would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to collaborate with state, local, and tribal entities on efforts to address ocean acidification.

Permitting Push Continues: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced the Building American Energy Security Act of 2023 (S.1399), which would accelerate the energy development permitting process. The Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency (RESTART) Act (S.1449) and the Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources (SPUR) Act (S.1456) were also introduced this week by Republican sponsors. The RESTART Act would work on expediting environmental review processes, while the Spur Act would aim to expand domestic energy and mineral development and streamline permitting. 

Water Data Bill Reintroduced: The bipartisan Open Access Evapotranspiration Data Act (H.R.2429/S.1118) was reintroduced in the House after being reintroduced in the Senate earlier this year. It would establish a program to develop and share evapotranspiration data from publicly available sources. EESI’s article on water data tools discusses how improved access to water data, like evapotranspiration data, can help ensure scarce water resources are used effectively especially during drought conditions.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for May 1-5 and May 8-12.

EESI is tracking recent announcements and updates about the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

• The Department of Transportation announced over $700 million in grant funding for improvements to passenger railcars, to be distributed to six projects located in California, Illinois, Florida, Missouri, Ohio, and Utah.
• The Department of Energy (DOE) announced $600 million in funding for hydroelectric and marine energy improvement and modernization.
• DOE also announced $50 million in grant funding for rural and remote community-based energy projects, with pre-applications due July 13, 2023.

• The Biden-Harris Administration announced an $11 billion investment in loan and grant opportunities for rural electrification. The funding will go toward the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Empowering Rural America program, which helps rural electric cooperatives deploy clean energy systems, as well as to USDA's Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, which makes loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers to finance renewable energy projects.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a request for information on IRA guidance for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, port equipment, and fueling infrastructure. EESI's fact sheet on electric semi-trucks provides further context on heavy-duty electric vehicles.
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced over $837 million in funding for improved energy efficiency, climate resilience, and greenhouse gas emission reductions in HUD-assisted multifamily, low-income properties.