Sierra Club: Congress Must Pass the Inflation Reduction Act Immediately

We Cannot Waste Another Day Without Passing the Single Largest Investment in Clean Energy, Environmental Justice, and Climate Action

WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, the Senate unveiled the text of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which, if passed, will be the largest package of investments ever in clean energy, environmental justice, and climate action. The Sierra Club is calling on Congress to pass this legislation without any further delay.

Included in the bill is:

• Game-changing investment of hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits for clean energy like solar and wind, clean transportation, decarbonized buildings, and clean energy manufacturing here in the U.S., all set to lower emissions, create family-sustaining jobs, and reduce energy costs for over a decade;

• Cross-cutting environmental, equity, and labor standards that move us toward a whole-of-government approach to incorporating these standards into public investments and ensuring accountability;

• Methane Emissions Reduction Program, improving methane monitoring, funding environmental restoration, and helping communities reduce the health effects of pollution and increase their climate resilience;

• Funding for effective review and community engagement on proposed infrastructure projects under NEPA;

• Funding for urban parks and resilience for tribal communities, new resources for Environmental Justice communities to clean up legacy pollution and for rural communities to take advantage of lower cost, clean energy sources;

• New greenhouse gas reduction fund to provide low-cost financing for clean energy projects, with at least 60 percent of the benefits of these investments flowing to disadvantaged communities, in line with the president’s Justice40 commitments.  

In response, Sierra Club President Ramón Cruz released the following statement:

“To borrow President Biden’s line, this is a big f*cking deal. Once passed, this transformative legislation will be the single largest investment in our communities – including those that have long been disproportionately impacted by climate-fueled disasters – and a healthy and secure future for all of us. The Sierra Club calls on Congress to pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 without delay.

“We’ve long known that investing in climate action, in clean energy, and in environmental justice is not only good for a livable future but also for the economy. This legislation will save money for families across the country, it will ensure each and every one of us is able to live and work in a healthy community, and it will create good, sustainable jobs. With clean, renewable electricity, transportation and manufacturing incentives, we’ll be on the path to reducing emissions by 40% by 2030. 

“Just like the legislation then-Vice President Biden was referring to with his famed comment, this bill is far from perfect. Mandating oil and gas lease sales and tethering them to the build out of clean energy deployment and continuing to prop up the fossil fuel companies that are responsible for the dual crises of inflation and climate change is the last thing we should be doing in the name of addressing these crises. Public lands can and must be used as part of the solution to the climate crisis. Simply put, climate action must include a swift phaseout of fossil fuels. 

“The Sierra Club thanks Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Congressional Democrats, and President Biden for their persistent efforts to reach an agreement on a historic suite of investments for communities and families struggling with the interlocking crises of climate change, rising healthcare and energy costs, economic inequity, and racial and environmental injustice. Let’s finish the job and pass this bill immediately.”