Adam Beitman, adam.beitman@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - During a CNN Town Hall last night, President Biden advanced his position of preserving $150B in climate funding that had been dedicated to a Clean Electricity Performance Program and potentially repurposing the funds for other climate action priorities to reduce emissions as part of his negotiations with Senator Joe Manchin.
As reported by E&E News: “I’ve been saying to Joe, ‘Look, if we don’t do it in terms of the electric grid piece, what we’ll do is give me that $150 billion, I’m going to add it to be able to do other things that allow me to do things that don’t directly affect the electric grid in the way that there’s a penalty,’" … Manchin is open to “my convincing him that I can use [the $150 billion] to increase environmental progress without it being that particular deal,” Biden said.”
In Response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Pierce Released the Following Statement:
“President Biden knows we need to deliver immediate climate action ahead of the international climate negotiations in Glasgow, and we embrace his call to preserve the $150B in climate funding for policies that will secure concrete, immediate, and equitable emissions reductions. What’s clear above all is that the cost of inaction on climate vastly exceeds the price of investments in the clean energy economy by orders of magnitude.
“Ultimately, any final deal must meet the climate test of cutting climate pollution in half by 2030 while delivering on jobs and justice, and a number of policy options can help get us there.”
“Such new investments could include historic moves to reduce industrial emissions, advancing rooftop and community solar, increased tax credits to expedite the clean energy transition, building a clean and reliable electric grid, grants for states to slash climate pollution, investments in building electrification, and robust new funding for protecting our forests and urban green spaces.
“At the same time, to meet the climate test, we must eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies, and other critical climate investments in the current Build Back Better Act MUST be delivered wholly intact with zero cuts, including clean energy tax credits; renewable energy incentives for rural co-ops; public transit and electric vehicle investments; protections for our forests, lands, and urban green spaces; climate and environmental justice block grants; funding for healthy ports; nationwide replacement of lead pipes; and retrofits of homes and schools to reduce pollution.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.