Congressional Progressive Caucus starts task force to help accomplish IRA goals
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) announced the launch of a new task force, the Accelerating Clean Energy (ACE) Task Force, which will be led by CPC Vice Chair Jared Huffman (CA-02). Under Huffman’s leadership, the task force will develop a blueprint for expeditiously achieving the benefits of the 117th Congress’ historic investments in clean energy.
The task force’s charge is to clearly understand the challenges of implementation of clean energy projects, to work with the Biden administration and external partners, and to develop recommendations for administrative and legislative reforms to permitting that will assist in more rapidly bringing new renewable energy projects online, upgrading and modernizing the electrical grid to enable the United States to meet President Biden’s goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2030. The ACE Task Force will include Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee and CPC Chair Emeritus Representative Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), and CPC members Representatives Mike Levin (CA-49), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and Paul Tonko (NY-20), as well as Chair Jayapal.
“Driven by the urgency of the climate crisis, CPC members stepped up last Congress to shape and pass transformative legislation that sets the United States on the path to decarbonization. With the ACE Task Force, the CPC is showing our commitment to ensuring that these reforms and investments are implemented with the same sense of urgency to meet our climate goals and deliver the broad benefits of a clean energy economy while upholding environmental justice as a core value,” said Rep. Huffman. “We will examine the real factors that have held up clean energy projects, acknowledge recent executive actions and last year’s $1 billion investment in clean energy permit streamlining, and recommend additional strategies to expedite clean energy project completion. We can meet our clean energy goals without sacrificing bedrock environmental laws, throwing disadvantaged communities under the bus, or passing Trojan Horse legislation to help the fossil fuel industry.”
News item from the office of Congressman Jared Huffman