Climate Change Solutions - May 3, 2023

Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

The end of April brought President Biden's executive order on Environmental Justice for All, focusing on how federal agencies can help protect overburdened communities from the effects of climate change and environmental pollution.

As a new feature of this newsletter, EESI is highlighting recent news and updates on the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to keep readers up to date on how federal agencies are implementing these landmark laws. 

This issue also dives into energy and water efficiency, with an article on how reducing water consumption can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. We also feature an article on the transition of Minnesota's electrical utilities to 100 percent carbon-free electricity, as well as a podcast about the growth and future of climate adaptation jobs in the United States. Finally, you'll find updates to our Farm Bill hearing tracker, where we've provided key climate, environment, and energy takeaways of recent hearings. 

Coming up, EESI's Congressional briefing series on the Farm Bill continues with Climate, Energy, and Economic Win-Wins in the Farm Bill on May 10 at 1:30 pm EDT. We hope you can join us in person or online. 

Recycling Bills Advance Out of Committee: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (S.1194). The bipartisan bill would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve recycling and composting programs through expanded data collection. The Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 (S.1189) also passed out of the Environment and Public Works Committee. That bill would require the EPA to create a pilot grant program to support improved recycling accessibility.

Bipartisanship in Agricultural Research: Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced two pieces of agricultural research legislation. H.R.2719 would establish a grant program for land-grant colleges and universities to support climate and conservation practices for producers, while H.R.2720, also sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand organic farming research. EESI's Farm Bill resources, including our briefing on organic agriculture, can be found here. 

Reaching New Heights in Sustainable Aviation: Reps. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) and Bradley Schneider (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act (H.R.2747). The bill would authorize funding for research on sustainable aviation fuel, establish an aviation low-carbon fuel standard, and support credits for sustainable aviation fuel. EESI's work on sustainable aviation fuel can be found here. 

Focus on Forestry: Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) reintroduced the Forest Incentives Program Act (S.1366), which would provide incentives for forest managers to adopt conservation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and for commercial building owners to use less emissions-intensive building materials. On the topic of forestry, Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Neighborhood Tree Act of 2023 (S.1380), a bill that would create a neighborhood tree fund for urban tree canopies, prioritizing underserved communities. 

Building a More Resilient Health Sector: Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) introduced health and climate legislation (S.1229/H.R.2764). The legislation would authorize grant money for medical facilities to improve their climate and disaster resilience, as well as invest $130 billion in community health centers over five years. 

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for April 17-21 and April 24-28.

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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $400 million in grants for electric, propane, and compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses. EESI's Back to School briefing dives into clean school bus policy.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) opened applications for $400 million in grants for port electrification and efficiency improvements. EESI's issue brief on climate change mitigation and adaptation at ports discusses ways ports can reduce their environmental impact.
• FHWA also opened applications for $848 million in grants for surface transportation projects, like highways and public transportation, that increase resilience to the impacts of climate change, with funding available to applicants at all levels of government.

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

• The EPA released the framework for the implementation of the new Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which will use three complementary competitions to distribute $27 billion in funding.
• The Department of Energy announced a $250 million funding opportunity to increase domestic production of electric heat pumps.

Have a question or a solution we should cover? Email us!
 

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