Dems Tee up Climate Plans

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) The legislative framework that senior Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee want to move this year to combat climate change calls for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the building, industrial, transportation and electricity sectors by 2050 — but does not call for putting a price on carbon or match the 10-year ambitions set by the Green New Deal, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports.

E&C Chairman Frank Pallone acknowledged during a press conference on the discussion memo there is more work to be done. But he said the effort is a core part of their legislative plan that will be further fleshed out this year. "This is not a messaging bill. We're going to try to move this bill," Pallone said. He added the legislation is purposefully silent on carbon pricing, since that falls outside the committee's jurisdiction, and the lawmakers believe they can reach the 2050 net-zero emission targets without it.

What's ahead? While it's unlikely Republican Senate would act on any sweeping climate legislation, House Democrats are hoping to lay the groundwork that would enable them to move quickly if their party wins the White House and flips the Senate in the November elections. "Over the coming months, the Committee will continue to develop and refine" the legislation, the memo reads, noting that lawmakers plan to develop additional policies, such as bolstering adaptation and resiliency to climate change. READ MORE

Excerpt from CLEAN Future Act Summary: The CLEAN Future Act includes a suite of measures to support this shift to low- and zero-carbon transportation fuels. The bill encourages electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployment by supporting state and local government, as well as private sector, planning and investment in charging networks; sets aggressive goals to transition federal fleets to alternative fuel and low- or zero-emissions vehicles; and encourages states to consider updating their electric utility regulations to enable electrification of surface transportation. The Act also directs DOE to ensure that policies to accelerate the deployment of alternative fuel and low- or zero-emissions vehicles consider the transportation needs of underserved and disadvantaged communities.

The CLEAN Future Act includes various additional provisions to accelerate deployment of low- and zero-emissions vehicles. These include reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act; establishing a pilot program to electrify short-haul refrigerated trucks; establishing a program to retrofit or replace diesel-fueled school buses with low- and zero-emissions buses; and bolstering DOE’s Clean Cities Coalition Program to reduce petroleum-based fuel consumption, expand the use of alternative transportation fuels and vehicles, and improve air quality at the local level.

At the October 23 hearing, witnesses stressed the importance of developing low-carbon alternative fuels for heavy-duty transportation, including aviation and shipping. For those modes of transportation, where electrification may be technically infeasible or prohibitively expensive in the near- and medium-term, federal support is needed to lower the barriers to entry for next-generation fuels. The CLEAN Future Act directs EPA to accelerate the approval of pathways for low-carbon alternative transportation fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The bill also modernizes DOE’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program to refocus on decarbonization. It directs ATVM to make grant and loan eligibility requirements based on GHG emissions, rather than fuel economy; expands the program to include medium- and heavy-duty vehicles; and increases public-private cost-share levels. Over the coming months, the Committee will continue to develop solutions to decarbonize the heavy-duty transportation sector.

To ensure that states have ample guidance and expertise at their disposal, the bill directs EPA to develop a set of model control strategies, which states can choose to incorporate into their plans. Those control strategies include a climate pollution phaseout control program, a performance-based fuels standard, adopting California’s low- and zero-emissions vehicle standards, establishing a carbon removal control program, and deploying demand-side energy management programs. The bill also creates new grant authorities to support the states both in the development of their plans and with achieving emission reductions through a “Race to Net-Zero” program. States may use those funds for a variety of activities, including those that improve energy efficiency, electrify building appliances, replace conventional vehicles with low- or zero-emissions vehicles, or support carbon capture, utilization, and storage.

The Committee believes that these topics are critically important and should be part of comprehensive climate legislation. In some cases, the draft bill includes measures related to these topics. For instance, Title II of the CLEAN Future Act includes provisions to enhance grid resiliency and modernize U.S. transmission; Title IV establishes new pathways to develop agriculturally-derived sustainable transportation fuels; and Title VIII incorporates measures to build a clean energy workforce. READ MORE