SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISIS

1 SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISISThe Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just AmericaMajority Sta~ ReportSELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISISMAJORITY STAFF REPORT116TH CONGRESSPREPARED BY MAJORITY COMMITTEE STAFF PURSUANT TO 2020 DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEERep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), ChairRep. Ben Ray Luj n (D-NM)Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA)Rep. Jared Hu~man (D-CA)Rep. A. Donald McEachin (D-VA)RRep. Mike Levin (D-CA)Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) SOLVING THE CLIMATE CRISISThe Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America | Page i TABLE OF CONTENTS KEY ACRONYMS .. v KEY DEFINITIONS .. vii PREFACE .. 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .. 2 BACKGROUND: THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS ..17 THE CASE FOR CLIMATE ACTION.

2 19 THE CLIMATE CRISIS ACTION PLAN ..26 SET AN AMBITIOUS NATIONAL GOAL TO CUT CARBON POLLUTION ..29 INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD A JUST, EQUITABLE, AND RESILIENT CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY ..31 Build a Cleaner and More Resilient Electricity Sector .. 32 Maximize Energy Efficiency and Deploy More Clean Energy .. 33 Address the Potential and Risks of Nuclear Energy Technologies .. 46 Move Toward a National Supergrid .. 51 Ensure a Level Playing Field for CLIMATE Solutions in Wholesale Power Markets .. 60 Make the Electric Grid More Resilient to CLIMATE Impacts .. 64 Make the Clean Energy Economy Work for All Americans .. 75 Work with Tribal Leaders to Expand Deployment of Clean Energy .. 80 Provide Federal Leadership Through Procurement .. 82 Build a Cleaner and More Resilient Transportation Sector .. 86 Reduce Pollution from Passenger Vehicles by Deploying Cleaner Cars and Fuels.

3 87 Encourage Smart Transportation Policies to Increase Consumer Choice, Reduce Congestion, and Cut Carbon Pollution .. 104 Spur More Domestic Manufacturing of Zero-Emission Vehicles and Components .. 113 Prepare the Nation s Transportation Systems for Long-Term CLIMATE Resilience .. 114 Reduce Pollution from Heavy-Duty Trucks and Buses by Deploying Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels .. 118 Build a Cleaner and More Resilient Aviation Sector .. 128 Expand, Maintain, and Modernize the Nation s Rail Network .. 133 Build a Cleaner and More Resilient Maritime and Shipping Sector .. 136 Build and Upgrade Homes and Businesses to Maximize Energy Efficiency and Eliminate Emissions .. 143 Reduce Energy Use in New and Existing Buildings .. 144 Generate More Net-Zero Energy Onsite and Electrify End Uses .. 157 Reduce Emissions from Building Materials .. 160 Invest in Disproportionately Exposed, Frontline, and Vulnerable 165 Provide Federal Leadership on Buildings.

4 176 Invest in Water Infrastructure to Provide Clean Water and Prevent Catastrophic Flooding .. 180 | Page ii Invest in Infrastructure to Prevent Catastrophic Flooding .. 180 Invest in Water Systems to Best Serve Community Needs in the Face of CLIMATE Impacts .. 185 Prepare the Nation s Telecommunications Network for CLIMATE Impacts .. 192 Plug Leaks and Cut Pollution from America s Oil and Gas Infrastructure .. 196 Cut Methane Pollution from Oil and Gas Production .. 197 Eliminate Methane Leaks from Existing Natural Gas Pipelines .. 200 Ensure That Natural Gas Pipelines Do Not Harm the CLIMATE , the Environment, and Communities .. 202 Curb Air and Water Pollution and Safely Dispose of Hazardous Waste From the Oil and Gas Industry .. 209 Ensure That LNG Infrastructure Does Not Harm the CLIMATE , the Environment, and Communities .. 210 Make the Nation s Pipelines More Resilient to CLIMATE Impacts.

5 211 DRIVE INNOVATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF CLEAN ENERGY AND DEEP DECARBONIZATION TECHNOLOGIES .. 213 Support Technological Innovation to Drive Deep Decarbonization and Competitiveness .. 214 Enable and Accelerate Financing for CLIMATE Change Mitigation and CLIMATE -Resilient Infrastructure .. 226 Expose CLIMATE -Related Risks to Private Capital to Shift Assets Toward CLIMATE -Smart Investments .. 233 TRANSFORM INDUSTRY AND EXPAND DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING OF CLEAN ENERGY AND ZERO-EMISSION TECHNOLOGIES .. 237 Rebuild Industry for Global CLIMATE Leadership .. 237 Key Decarbonization Approaches for the Industrial Sector .. 238 Focus Innovation and Commercialization in Technologies to Reduce Industrial Emissions .. 240 Financially Support Deployment of Low-Emission and Industrial Efficiency Technologies .. 248 Build Physical and Knowledge Infrastructure to Enable Industrial Decarbonization.

6 253 Create Markets and Establish Standards for Low-Emission Industrial Goods and Technologies .. 259 Invest in Manufacturing of Clean Energy, Clean Vehicle, and Zero-Emission Technologies .. 267 Construct New or Retool Existing Manufacturing Facilities in the United 267 Develop and Implement Comprehensive Federal Strategies to Achieve Domestic Manufacturing and Supply Chain Goals .. 270 Align Federal Innovation and Procurement Policy With Domestic Manufacturing Objectives .. 273 Develop, Manufacture, and Deploy Cutting-Edge Carbon Removal Technology .. 276 Develop a Robust, Coordinated Federal RD&D Strategy on Carbon Removal Technologies .. 277 Provide Financial Incentives for Carbon Removal .. 280 Prepare for Large-Scale Subsurface Storage of Carbon Dioxide .. 281 Create Markets for Products Made from Carbon Captured from the 281 Cut Emissions of Super-Pollutants and Support Next-Generation Coolant Manufacturers.

7 284 BREAK DOWN BARRIERS FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES .. 285 Align the Tax Code with a Net-Zero Goal and Eliminate Unnecessary Tax Breaks for Oil and Gas Companies .. 285 Put a Price on Carbon Pollution .. 286 INVEST IN AMERICA S WORKERS AND BUILD A FAIRER ECONOMY .. 288 | Page iii Ensure the Clean Energy Economy Benefits Current and Future Workers .. 288 Make a Federal Commitment to Workers and Communities .. 290 Support the Health Care Needs of Coal Miners .. 294 Create Jobs Through Conservation and Reclamation and Restoration of Coal Mines and Abandoned Wells .. 296 Protect Workers from Extreme Weather Conditions .. 298 INVEST IN DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPOSED COMMUNITIES TO CUT POLLUTION AND ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE .. 300 Strengthen Enforcement of Cornerstone Environmental Laws in Environmental Justice Communities .. 301 Embed Environmental and CLIMATE Justice in Federal Government Decision-Making.

8 304 Ensure Meaningful Engagement and Consultation with Environmental Justice Communities .. 309 Build the Capacity of Organizations and Communities Working Toward Environmental Justice .. 310 IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MANAGE CLIMATE RISKS TO HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE .. 313 Strengthen National Planning on CLIMATE Threats to Public Health and the Health Care Sector .. 313 Ensure Resilient Public Health Supply Chains .. 320 Restore and Enhance Global Leadership on CLIMATE and Public Health .. 323 Support Community Preparedness for the Health Impacts of Disasters .. 325 Increase the Preparedness and Resilience of the Nation's Hospitals and Health Infrastructure .. 329 Ensure the CLIMATE Resilience of Veterans Health Systems .. 333 Strengthen Mental Health Capabilities for CLIMATE Resilience and Preparedness .. 334 INVEST IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE FOR CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.

9 339 Increase Agricultural Carbon Sequestration and Resilience Through CLIMATE Stewardship Practices .. 340 Reduce Agricultural Emissions .. 353 Increase Federal Capacity to Provide Technical Assistance to Farmers .. 358 Support On-Farm Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency .. 364 Support the Next Generation of Farmers to Create a Fair and Equitable Food System .. 366 Preserve Farmland from Development .. 369 Reduce Food Waste and Transportation .. 371 MAKE COMMUNITIES MORE RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE .. 374 Develop and Deploy Actionable CLIMATE Risk Information .. 374 Support Community Leadership in CLIMATE Resilience and Equity .. 379 Partner with Tribes and Indigenous Communities for CLIMATE Adaptation and Resilience .. 386 Reduce CLIMATE Disaster Risks and Costs .. 390 Accelerate Resilient Disaster Recovery .. 401 Strengthen the National Flood Insurance Program for CLIMATE Resilience.

10 408 Reduce Wildfire Risks and Support Community Resilience Against Wildfires .. 415 Build and Rebuild Using Resilience-Based Codes and Standards .. 419 Make CLIMATE Resilience Planning an Essential Element of Federal Agency Operations .. 425 | Page iv PROTECT AND RESTORE AMERICA S LANDS, WATERS, OCEAN, AND WILDLIFE .. 428 Capture the Full Potential of Natural CLIMATE 428 Protect and Conserve Large Landscapes and Biodiversity .. 429 Lift Up America s National Parks and Public Lands as Part of the CLIMATE Solution .. 437 Address the Biodiversity CRISIS and Help Wildlife Adapt to CLIMATE Change .. 439 Protect and Restore Forests and Grasslands .. 444 Protect and Restore Ocean and Wetland Ecosystems for CLIMATE Mitigation and Resilience .. 464 Make Public Lands and Waters a Part of the CLIMATE Solution .. 479 Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution from Public Lands and Waters.