Press Releases

Evergreen Applauds House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Clean Electricity Payment Program

Press Contact: Holly Burke

House Committee introduces strong CEPP and other important clean energy and environmental justice provisions in the Build Better Act

Following the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s release of a fact sheet detailing their portions of the Build Back Better Act, Evergreen Action Co-Director Sam Ricketts released the following statement: 

“We applaud Chairman Pallone and the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for their work to develop a strong Clean Electricity Payment Program as part of the Build Back Better Act. And for including robust investments in other clean energy and environmental justice priorities. We know that the CEPP is critical to building back better, and would add nearly 8 million jobs and inject almost a trillion dollars into the U.S. economy in the next decade, while helping the U.S. achieve our climate goals. To meet this critical moment, Democrats in the House and the Senate must swiftly pass the budget reconciliation legislation containing a strong CEPP.”

A new report released today from the independent economics consulting firm Analysis Group found that a strong CEPP that invests in the transition to 80% clean electricity by 2030 will deliver sizable benefits to the economy, including:

  • Expanding the workforce by roughly 7.7 million jobs. 

  • Injecting over $907 billion dollars into the U.S. economy.

  • Driving economic development through the construction of over 600 GW of new solar, wind and other clean energy projects.

  • Raising $154 billion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments. 

In addition to a $150 billion Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP), the Energy & Commerce fact sheet details a number of other important investments that the legislation would make in clean energy and environmental justice programs—including many that Evergreen has championed. Those investments include:

  • $27.5 billion for a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (previously known as a Clean Energy Technology Accelerator or Green Bank)

  • $18 billion for zero-emission appliance rebates and whole building energy efficiency upgrades

  • $13.5 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and $5 billion for clean heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and buses

  • $7 billion for grant and loan programs at the Department of Energy to support innovative clean manufacturing and technology 

  • $9 billion to build a modern and resilient electricity transmission grid

  • $2.5 billion for solar facilities and community solar projects in low-income communities

  • $17.5 billion for the decarbonization of federal buildings and transportation fleets 

  • $10 billion the cleanup of Superfund sites identified on the National Priority List 

  • $5 billion for block grants for community-led environmental and climate justice projects 

  • $30 billion for the full replacement of lead service lines in American drinking water systems

  • A fee on methane pollution from the oil and gas industry.
     

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