Chair Castor Statement on CLEAN Future Act
Mar 2, 2021
Press Release
E&C Bill Would Reduce Pollution In Transportation & Power Sectors, Buildings & Industries
WASHINGTON - Chair Kathy Castor of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released the following statement on Tuesday as the Energy & Commerce Committee introduced the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act, which would achieve net zero greenhouse gas pollution no later than 2050:
"This bill makes great progress on many of our climate recommendations, especially on our goal to put millions of Americans to work in clean energy jobs," said Chair Castor. "We envision massive hiring of utility workers to expand the grid and bring wind and solar to homes across America, and of welders and roofers to make homes and businesses more energy efficient. And we'll need engineers and auto workers to build electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure. Like President Biden, House Democrats see climate action as a once-in-a-lifetime economic opportunity, one that will also bring important health benefits and help us advance racial justice. I applaud the leadership of Chairman Pallone, Chairman Tonko, and Chairman Rush as we keep working together on solving the climate crisis."
The CLEAN Future Act is ambitious new climate legislation that ensures the United States acts aggressively to tackle the climate crisis this decade and achieve net zero greenhouse gas pollution. The bill would:
- Create a nationwide Clean Electricity Standard (CES) requiring all retail electricity suppliers to obtain 100 percent clean electricity by 2035,
- Improve the efficiency of new and existing buildings, as well as the equipment and appliances that operate within them,
- Reduce emissions by building the infrastructure needed for a clean transportation system,
- Establish a Buy Clean Program that sets performance targets to steadily reduce emissions from construction materials and products used in projects that receive federal funding,
- And establish provisions to make environmental justice part of the mission of all federal agencies, and to incorporate environmental justice considerations into landmark environmental laws.
The CLEAN Future Act incorporates legislation that Chair Castor is working on in the 117th Congress, including:
- The Transmission Siting Assistance Program,
- A study on the equitable distribution of benefits of clean energy, which arises out of a Climate Crisis Action Plan recommendation in the building block on CES,
- A benchmarking program for commercial and multi-family residential buildings,
- And ensuring electric utilities offer community solar to all ratepayers by establishing a new standard under PURPA.
More information on the legislation, including bill text and a section-by-section document, is available on the Energy & Commerce Committee website.
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Background:
- In June of 2020, 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.
117th Congress
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