Chair Castor Highlights Important Climate Progress in Year-End Legislation

WASHINGTON - As the House of Representatives passed a year-end omnibus spending bill on Monday, Chair Kathy Castor of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis highlighted several important clean energy and resilience provisions included in the bill, a result of the deep commitment to climate solutions shown by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats throughout negotiations with Republicans and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. 

"Today's legislation includes several key provisions that will help reduce pollution, protect public health, and invest in resilience to keep Americans safe," said Chair Castor. "From phasing down the use of superpollutant hydrofluorocarbons to investing in research that will expand our use of renewable energy, this legislation moves us in the right direction. It takes important steps that we highlighted in our Climate Crisis Action Plan, including extending clean energy tax credits, promoting pipeline safety, and investing in crucial water infrastructure. It also includes vital provisions to support land, agriculture, and ocean climate solutions.

"We know there's much more progress to be made. We're ready to take ambitious climate action in the 117th Congress. And we're looking forward to working with President-Elect Biden's impressive climate team to meet the urgency of this moment."

Here is a full list of climate progress made in the year-end legislation.

Among other things, the omnibus bill directs EPA to phase down the production and consumption of harmful hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), so the United States can lead global efforts to avoid up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of increased average temperatures. It also extends critical clean energy tax credits to support hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.

Background:

• This summer, the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Democrats released the majority staff report Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America. This report provides a roadmap for Congress—a Climate Crisis Action Plan—to build a prosperous, clean energy economy that values workers, advances environmental justice, and is prepared to meet the challenges of the climate crisis.

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