Leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) would not let April 22, 2024 pass without recognizing the celebration of Earth Day.
SEEC leaders, including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer of Virginia, Matt Cartwright, Sean Casten, Chellie Pingree and Katie Porter, and Chair Emeritus Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia said they celebrate “our nation’s transformative actions to slash planet-warming pollution and turbocharge the American clean energy economy” on the 54th Earth Day.
“Thanks to our once-in-a-generation investment secured by Congressional Democrats and the Biden Administration, we are making significant headway to protect our planet in the fight against the climate crisis.”
The most significant action taken by the United States in the fight against the climate crisis was the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation sets the country on a path to reduce pollution by 40 percent below 2005 levels in less than 10 years.
“Together with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have billions of dollars allocated to rebuilding America’s infrastructure, expanding access to clean drinking water, and putting people to work to restore our nation’s land and waters. Never before have we seen clean energy investments numbering in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with new clean jobs soaring to the hundreds of thousands, all while delivering the dream of a planet that is healthier and cleaner than we found it,” SEEC leaders said in a statement.
The SEEC gives credit to the Biden Administration‘s actions which accompanied the coalition’s work in Congress and “represent a whole-of-government approach to safeguard our planet and protect public health. From the Environmental Protection Agency, we’ve seen vehicle pollution standards that clean up our transportation sector, drinking water standards that ensure Americans have access to safe drinking water, and clean air standards that unlock healthier and safer communities. From the Department of Energy, we’ve secured multiple appliance efficiency standards that reduce home energy costs and help American manufacturers drive the clean transition. From the Department of the Interior, we’re holding polluters accountable for environmental degradation of our public lands and maximizing the potential of our public lands and waters to provide clean energy. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to much more to come as the Biden Administration continues to work toward cutting pollution, saving American lives, and rapidly building out our clean energy economy.”
The SEEC reaffirms its commitment to champion for “a habitable future for our nation and to stand strong against attacks on the American clean energy revolution. Our health, our economy, and our planet depend on it.”
Below are some highlights of what the Administration has accomplished as part of this whole-of-government approach (in reverse chronological order):
- Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule that will guide balanced management of America’s public lands
- Department of Energy’s Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Efficiency Standards that will save American households $1.9 billion per year in utility bills
- Department of Energy’s Lightbulb Efficiency Standards that will conserve energy and help consumers save nearly $1.6 billion on their annual utility bills
- Bureau of Land Management’s Renewable Energy Rule that spurs the responsible development of clean energy on public lands, building on the achievement of surpassing the goal of permitting 25GW of renewable energy on public lands
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Standard that protects Americans from forever chemicals in drinking water
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Heavy-Duty Vehicle Pollution Standards that cut pollution from our heavy-duty vehicle fleet for model years 2027 and beyond
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicle Pollution Standards that cut pollution from our light and medium-duty vehicle fleet for model years 2027 and beyond
- Securities and Exchange Commission’s Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors Rule that requires publicly traded companies to make climate-related disclosures to the American public
- Department of Energy’s Residential Clothes Washer and Clothes Dryer Efficiency Standards that save Americans $1 trillion over 30 years
- Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards that protects communities from fine particle pollution
- Biden Administration New Natural Gas Export Pause that evaluates the climate and environmental impacts of new natural gas export terminals before approving permits
- Department of Energy’s Refrigerator and Freezer Efficiency Standards that significantly cut energy waste and harmful carbon pollution
- Department of Transportation’s National Highway Greenhouse Gas Emission Measure that establishes a method for measurement and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Methane Emission Rule that cuts planet-warming pollution
- Department of Energy’s Residential Furnace Efficiency Standards that slash household utility costs by $1.5 billion annually
- Environmental Protection Agency’s Good Neighbor Air Quality Plan that secures significant reductions in ozone-forming emissions of nitrogen oxides from power plants and industrial facilities
- And announcements upon announcements of new investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Established in 2009, the SEEC is 96 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who are a focused, active and effective coalition for advancing policies that address climate change, promote clean energy innovation and domestic manufacturing, develop renewable energy resources, create family-sustaining clean jobs, protect our nation’s air, water, and natural environment and promote environmental justice.
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Rebecca Barnabi
