investment – Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light

Senate Passes Inflation Reduction Act with Historic Climate Investments

August 5, 2022

Washington, DC – Today the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant climate bill in history. The bill will put the nation on the path to cut climate pollution emissions up to 44% by 2030, create millions of good-paying clean energy jobs, invest in environmental justice, and reduce energy bills for working families across the country.

With $369 billion in energy and climate investments, this is the single biggest U.S. investment aimed at tackling climate change. It includes:

Clean energy tax credits for wind and solar, electric vehicles, efficiency upgrades, and heat pumps
More than $60 billion for environmental justice priorities
Up to $60 billion for domestic clean energy manufacturing
$27 billion to speed the development of emissions reductions technologies, especially in disadvantaged communities

The Inflation Reduction Act also includes troubling provisions around fossil fuel expansion and other false solutions that will continue to place frontline communities at risk. Interfaith Power & Light is concerned about a deal for a proposal to include drastic permitting changes in must-pass legislation Congress will take up this fall. We will work to address those provisions in this bill, oppose any weakening of our environmental review process, and advocate for bold executive action from the Biden Administration so that the U.S. can meet our climate goals.

The faith community has been advocating for passage of climate and clean energy investments for the last two years and celebrates this huge victory.

In response, Interfaith Power & Light’s President Rev. Susan Hendershot released this statement:

“Budgets are moral documents, and where we choose to invest as a nation is an indication of what we value. Today, the Senate chose to take moral leadership and demonstrate that they value the health of our families and communities; jobs that can provide good wages; clean air, water, and soil; environmental justice for historically marginalized communities; and care for our common home, through the historic climate provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. We applaud and celebrate the passage of this critical legislation in the Senate, and now call on the House of Representatives and President Biden to act swiftly to pass this bill because climate can’t wait.”

Rev. Robin Blakeman, West Virginia Interfaith Power & Light Steering Committee Member:

“Climate change is already taking an enormous toll on our communities. We have a moral obligation to protect people and the planet. I am glad that Senator Manchin finally supported the legislation to address the critical needs of our nation. Addressing the urgency of climate change is key to ensuring survival of our society and economy.”

Rev. Doug Bland, Executive Director of Arizona Interfaith Power & Light:

“People of faith and conscience in Arizona have demanded congressional action on climate. We’re grateful to Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly for supporting this historic bill to transition rapidly to clean energy, and make our country healthier and more prosperous for all communities.We have a moral imperative to act — fires are raging and communities are flooding. We can’t afford not to act boldly for the future of our children and our precious planet home.”

Codi Norred, Executive Director of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light:

“The Inflation Reduction Act is an essential initial investment in our future and our common home. We have no time to waste. The climate care provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act are historic and are imperative in addressing the urgent moral issue of climate justice. We are thankful to Senators Warnock and Ossoff for supporting these bold investments that will match the scale of the crisis our communities need.”

David Heayn-Mendendez, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light:

“We have a moral obligation to protect people and the planet and climate change is already taking an enormous toll on our communities. This is the most significant climate bill in history and will put our nation on the path to cut climate pollution emissions up to 44% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels while creating millions of good paying clean energy jobs, invest in environmental justice, and reduce energy bills for working families across the country.”

Article: Faith groups respond to Sen. Manchin’s surprise climate deal with shock, optimism

Washington, D.C.
July 28, 2022

Great and relevant article in the National Catholic Reporter yesterday:

Democrats in the U.S. Senate reached a deal July 27 to secure $369 billion in investments on energy and climate change in what would represent the nation’s largest-ever spending package to address the impacts of global warming. (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

Faith groups responded to the historic, and for many unexpected, milestone of a potential breakthrough on climate legislation . . . with a mixture of joy, shock and cautious optimism after years of prayer and advocacy.

Read the full article here!

Reconciliation Package Must include Strong Manufacturing Measures

Great news! Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light has joined other organization across the state for a sign on regarding the passing of a bold reconciliation package that will help rebuild our manufacturing sector in ways that will deeply reduce emissions while building domestic supply chains and creating and protecting good union jobs for workers and disadvantaged communities.

Serious action is required to address climate change and strengthen the U.S. economy for all. The following provisions must be included in any negotiations around budget reconciliation as well as future climate infrastructure packages to ensure that the Appalachian region can create a thriving manufacturing renaissance in the region. We deserve it.

Appalachia can and should be a leader in the global economic race to modernize domestic manufacturing.

Several provisions key to building this future include:

Key investments to reduce climate pollution in emissions-intensive industries—such as cement, steel, and aluminum. We can reduce these emissions at scale by funding industrial efficiency measures and emissions reduction technology as well as broader supply chain programs.
Spurring domestic clean technology manufacturing through measures such as $25 billion in funding for 48C together along with new supply chain production tax credits that expand clean energy and technology manufacturing and onshore key supply chains.
Strong funding to strengthen the domestic automotive supply chain, protect workers and communities, and build the electric vehicle (EV) fleet of the future in Appalachia. This includes new funding for the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program and manufacturing conversion grants—together enabling over $20B in investments to retool automotive manufacturing to build the EV technology of the future in existing plants and communities.
Support Manufacturing Supply Chains and Manufacturing-Centered Economic Development. In addition to investments that support clean technology manufacturing expansion and retooling directly, it is also critical to ensure that we expand and fund the broader programs that provide the economic, technical, and workforce infrastructure and support to strengthen advanced manufacturing ecosystems and communities.
Ensure that clean energy deployment tax credits include labor and domestic content standards and support the retention and growth of domestic manufacturing and high-quality jobs.

These provisions would make a historic investment in the expansion and retooling of domestic clean energy, vehicle and component manufacturing, the transformation of our industrial sector to reduce emissions and enhance competitiveness, as well as the necessary efforts to build out robust supply chains for critical clean technologies—all while building family sustaining careers and investing in the communities that need it most.

Any reconciliation package should advance a sustainable economic vision for a 21st century Appalachia—one that is good for working people, communities, the environment and our health. Our communities have many assets, but a sustainable economic future can’t be achieved without significant public investment, strong policies, and responsible economic development approaches designed to maximize the benefit to the community as a whole.

You can read more and sign on here.

UPDATE ON JUNE 6, 2022:

You can see the final letter here.

Tell your Senators Climate Can’t Wait!

Please take a moment to write to your Senators. Below is the template email to your members of Congress. Feel free to edit the letter on the next page before you send it, personalized letters are more effective.

Dear Senator,

As a person of faith and conscience, I believe that leaving a safe and thriving world to the next generation is a moral imperative. Climate change threatens the very life support systems that the planet provides. The issue could not be more urgent and we must invest now to shift off of fossil fuels and move rapidly to a clean energy economy.

I urge you to support big, bold investments in renewable energy, clean vehicles, environmental justice, and climate resilience by passing climate and clean energy investments through reconciliation. These investments will go a long way toward protecting our climate and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure to meet the demands of a 21st century economy. It will also invest in rebuilding communities that have borne the brunt of pollution for too long.

Congress has a historic opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Americans for generations to come. Please support the important climate elements of the budget reconciliation bill that will protect our world and secure a more just and prosperous future for all people.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Let’s raise our collective voices and ensure our elected leaders get the $550 billion in climate and clean energy investments across the finish line. Email your senators and urge them to #GetClimateDone.