During his second term as Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden has worked to advance clean energy and infrastructure development. The Vice President has worked to increase investment in renewable energy sources and improve the reliability of our electrical grid. He has worked to protect workers in the energy industry and has helped develop the Good Jobs for 21st Energy Act.
Infrastructure
Congressional leaders and President Biden are moving forward with plans to repair, rebuild and revitalize the American infrastructure. This bill will increase funding for education programs and health programs while expanding employment opportunities. It is estimated to increase the economy by 1.5 million jobs per year for ten years. It will also address the climate crisis and strengthen supply chains. The legislation will help America compete in the 21st century. It will also create good paying union jobs.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will invest in communities that have been left out of the economy. It will expand high-speed internet coverage nationwide, strengthen supply chains, and provide good paying union jobs. It will also help ease inflationary pressures and expand access to clean drinking water.
The infrastructure plan will also help reduce congestion, improve air quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will also upgrade homes through block grants programs. The plan will also fix 10,000 of the worst smaller bridges. The bill will also extend home and commercial efficiency tax credits.
President Biden has also called on Congress to invest in affordable housing, retrofit affordable housing, and eliminate exclusionary zoning laws that inflate housing prices. He has also pushed for the government to expand the tax credit for employers who build childcare facilities. The Biden Administration also wants to expand broadband adoption in rural areas.
The bill will also help the economy compete in the 21st century by investing in technology and advancing the United States as a leader in the technology sector. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently gave infrastructure a C- grade. The bill will also help rebuild the country’s transportation infrastructure and increase the nation’s resilience against climate change.
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is expected to cost $1.2 trillion. The bill passed in the House in November, and President Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law. The bill also includes social programs for education, healthcare, and the environment. It will also include transit programs. It includes $550 billion in new spending.
Clean energy
EPA is seeking public comment on core design aspects of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This program will be managed by EPA and funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. It will support deployment of distributed energy resources and help achieve the President’s goal of a carbon-free economy by 2050. The fund is currently slated to host a national public listening session on November 9, 2022.
The Biden administration is working to catalyze the American clean energy industries. Executive Order 14057, a Federal Sustainability Plan, sets a range of ambitious goals to improve energy security and deliver an emissions reduction pathway. This plan focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and a wide range of other strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
The President’s budget proposal for 2022 includes increased spending on energy efficiency, clean energy, and climate mitigation. It also emphasizes job creation and economic recovery. This plan would invest $2 billion in clean energy projects, increase research and development, and boost investments in transportation. It would also double down on tax incentives for carbon capture and retrofitting existing power plants.
Vice President Biden will direct the cabinet to prioritize climate change strategies. This includes addressing the backlog of remediation and restoration needs, as well as addressing unmet responsibilities of oil and gas companies. He will also double down on research investments in carbon capture, and ensure that the market has access to green hydrogen within a decade.
Biden’s plan includes a number of innovative financing mechanisms to support clean energy deployment. Investments will be aimed at lowering the cost of carbon capture retrofits for existing power plants, as well as creating incentives for manufacturers to build zero-emission factories. In addition, the administration is putting forward a plan for an “Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard” that would require a certain percentage of electricity in the U.S. to be generated by clean, carbon-free resources.
In addition to these strategies, Biden has also announced the creation of an Environmental and Climate Justice Division within the Justice Department. This new division will work to address common challenges faced by disadvantaged communities. It will complement the work of the Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Electric vehicles
EPA and the Transportation Department have proposed a new vehicle emissions standard that would reduce pollution by at least 16% through 2026. This goal is part of the President’s broader plan to fight climate change. In addition, the Biden Administration has taken action to build a nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
The Biden Administration’s action will complement the NEVI Formula Program and the National Park Service’s national strategy for electrifying public transit fleets. This action is a step toward the President’s goal to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 fully electric. The plan will put us on the path to net-zero emissions by 2050. It also creates good-paying jobs in the U.S., and increases the confidence of industry and consumers.
The plan is part of President Biden’s broader efforts to fight climate change. The Department of Transportation is working with the White House, the Department of Energy, the auto industry, and the electric vehicle industry to support a variety of EV charging solutions. These actions will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to use an EV charging network. This action will also promote private sector investments, which will increase the availability of EVs.
The plan will be implemented by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The Office will work with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Energy, and other stakeholders to implement the electrification provisions of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It will also coordinate the Federal approach to EV charging.
The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation will select 25 members in the next few months. These members will provide recommendations on electric vehicles. They will also help coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to develop an EV charging network. The Office will work with manufacturers, state and local governments, and other stakeholders. It will develop an EV charging infrastructure plan that focuses on areas where charging is most needed, including rural communities, hard-to-reach areas, and corridors. It will help states build an EV charging network along Interstate Highway System corridors and Alternative Fuel Corridors.
Labor protections in Senator Merkley’s Good Jobs for 21st Energy Act
Despite the fact that Republicans currently control both houses of Congress and the White House, Senator Jeff Merkley has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate, titled the Good Jobs for 21st Energy Act. This bill will offer a 10% federal income tax credit to manufacturers that create jobs in the clean energy sector, if their projects meet labor standards. The bill has been endorsed by the National Resources Defense Council, the Blue Green Alliance, and the AFL-CIO.
The clean energy sector is important for meeting climate goals. It is also a promising area for good jobs, particularly in energy efficiency and renewable energy. A recent study by Princeton University estimates that increasing the clean energy wage would only increase capital costs by about 2-4%. A rapid shift to 100% renewable energy will spur untold numbers of jobs in electricity generation.
The clean energy sector employs 79,711 workers in the coal generation sector and 345,393 workers in solar energy. Unions are present in each of these sectors. Unions in the nuclear generation sector account for 12% of the workforce. In the natural gas fuels industry, union density is 3%.
The Senate bill has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the National Resources Defense Council, and the Blue Green Alliance. It also has 13 co-sponsors, including Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Jerold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-Texas).
This bill should be expanded to include key energy technologies. It should also include requirements for prevailing wages, equity standards, and ABC tests to prevent worker misclassification. In addition, it should be targeted to support clean technology manufacturing in disadvantaged communities.
The United States lost nearly 5 million manufacturing jobs in the past fifteen years. These jobs provide pathways into the middle class for millions of workers. Manufacturing contributes $2 trillion to the GDP annually. Many of the workers who benefit from these jobs are not able to participate in the tax credits. This is why the clean energy tax credit should be made direct pay.
In addition, Congress should consider increasing the federal tax credit for clean energy manufacturing. In particular, if the 48C tax credit is increased, it should focus on firms that are hiring displaced workers, and should prioritize firms that use clean technology in communities that need it the most. The tax credit should also include a prevailing wage requirement, and should be targeted to support clean technology manufacturing in economically disadvantaged communities.
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