Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly newsletter about FCNL’s environmental work, ways to engage members of Congress, and stories that impact our work.
Bipartisan Group Introduces Carbon Pricing Legislation
On Nov. 27, Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-22), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Francis Rooney (FL-19), John Delaney (MD-06), and Charlie Crist (Fl-13) introduced H.R. 7173, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2018 (EICDA). This bipartisan carbon pricing bill represents an advancement of Congressional efforts to tax carbon emissions.
The EICDA places a price of $15 per metric ton of carbon dioxide, which increases by $10 per year. If greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals are not met, the price increases by an additional $5. It would also distribute revenue as a dividend back to American households.
FCNL applauds this bipartisan step. “As the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report makes clear, carbon pricing is one of the many important policy tools that will be necessary to at long last address climate change,” writes Diane Randall. Read our full analysis of H.R. 7173 here.
Midterm Elections Offer Challenges and Opportunities for Climate Action
The election of members who campaigned on a climate platform gave us new reasons to hope that Congress will pursue policies to curb the harmful effects of climate change. The midterms also led to what some see as a setback to bipartisanship on climate change. The House Climate Solutions Caucus will only see 21 of its 45 Republican members return to the 116th Congress.
The number of recent environmental regulatory rollbacks reinforces the need for congressional action to create lasting progress. FCNL is committed to continuing our bipartisan climate approach in the next Congress. Read our full analysis of what’s next for the Climate Solutions Caucus here.
The Climate Solutions Caucus remained at 90 members at the end of the 115th Congress.
News and Updates
Another Landmark Climate Report
The latest National Climate Assessment, released after Thanksgiving, details how climate change could harm the U.S. economy more than the Great Recession did. The Congressionally-mandated report, the fourth in a series, was written with the help of 300 scientists and 13 federal agencies.
Green New Deal Gains Momentum
Activists have visited the Hill twice last month to push for a an ambitious climate policy package known as the Green New Deal.
Wetlands at Risk
The Trump administration announced plans to weaken back Obama-era protections for wetlands and waterways. The new plan makes it easier for developers to pave over wetlands.
Climate Conference Enters its Final Week
The international climate summit in Katowice, Poland is entering crucial negotiation stages and the role of the U.S. is unpredictable. The U.S., Russia, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia opposed endorsing the findings of the latest Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change report on global warming.
Spotlight: Students, Citizens, Lobbyists
I had the pleasure of accompanying a group of students from Friends Academy in New York on lobby visits with staff from Rep. Thomas Suozzi (NY-03) and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand’s (NY) offices to discuss their concerns about climate change.
Action Alert: Letters to the Editor
With a new Congress starting in January 2019, it is important to encourage members to act on climate change. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper to show that climate change is a priority in your community.
P.S. I was honored to share my story of what brought me to work on climate at FCNL at our Annual Meeting. Watch:
