Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

Spring has officially sprung in D.C.! While we watch the landscape transform, we’re bringing you a look back at how EESI has supported clean energy upgrades and energy affordability around the country, and a peek into how researchers are using aluminum to produce hydrogen. Plus, for our latest podcast episode, we sat down with the mayor of Athens, Ohio, and the executive director of Power a Clean Future Ohio to discuss how Buckeye State municipalities are meeting their climate goals—with and without federal and state support.

Our next briefing, Tracking Down Data: Where to Find Climate and Environmental Information in 2026, is April 23. The event, held in partnership with Climate Central, will explore how universities, nonprofits, and national associations are bridging the weather and climate data gaps left by the federal government. Scroll on for details, and RSVP here!

Finally, EESI is still accepting applications for our Policy and Communications internships for fall 2026, spring 2027, and summer 2027! EESI interns make lasting contributions towards the advancement of critical environmental and energy policies. Apply by April 12th—click here for details.

Article | EESI’s On-bill Financing Project: A History of Making Energy More Affordable for Rural Households
[11 min. read]

On-bill financing (OBF) programs offer low-cost financing for energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and clean energy upgrades. Homes that have implemented these measures have seen lower energy costs, improved comfort and resilience, and better indoor air quality, all while helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over 17 years, EESI helped launch 42 OBF programs across 22 states and territories by providing technical assistance to rural electric co-ops, green banks, and other groups. [click for more]

Flush with Solutions: The Senate passed the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act (S.1092). Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) reintroduced the bill to improve labeling for non-flushable products, preventing expensive damage to sewage systems and reducing trash flow into rivers and the ocean. The bill’s House companion (H.R.2269), reintroduced by Reps. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), passed in June 2025.

Water Quality Bill Flows to Senate: The House passed the American Water Stewardship Act (H.R.6422) to improve water quality and restore ecosystems across the United States. The bill, led by Reps. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) and Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.), would reauthorize funding for several water quality programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Long Island Sound and Columbia River Basin Restoration programs, the National Estuary Program, and the BEACH Act program. Check out EESI’s Resilient and Healthy Rivers series for more on Columbia River restoration and other riverine protections.

Senate Wants to Give Farmers and Ranchers a Leg Up: The Senate passed the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 (S.629) to improve federal disaster relief for U.S. agricultural producers. The bill, introduced by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), would reform the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program by increasing the eligibility and timeframe for these programs and increasing the ratio of costs covered by USDA.

Wildfire Response Spreads to Senate: The House passed the Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act (H.R.6618) to bolster wildfire response efforts. Reps. Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) introduced the bill to address the impacts of unauthorized drone activity on the safety and efficiency of wildfire response efforts. To learn more about federal wildfire policies, check out EESI’s recent briefing.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for March 22-27 and March 30 - April 3.

The Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition’s Earth Day Alternative Vehicle Display & Green Expo
Saturday, April 18
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
National Mall at 3rd Street SW and Madison Dr. NW

EESI is a proud media sponsor of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition’s second annual Earth Day event. Attendees will meet government, industry, and nonprofit leaders, and enjoy a music-filled interactive learning experience focused on cleaner fuels, vehicles, air, and cities. Register here. 

Climate & Environmental Data Day
Tuesday, April 21
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Keck Center of the National Academies, 500 5th Street NW

Climate and environmental data underpins trillions of dollars in decisions. Today, that data is facing mounting disruptions. Join experts during DC Climate Week for Climate & Environmental Data Day, which will explore how organizations are responding to these disruptions, building new coordination mechanisms, and reimagining what a climate and environmental data ecosystem can look like. Co-organized by the Data Foundation, the Impact Project, Open Environmental Data Project, the Public Environmental Data Partners, the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, and EESI, this full-day event features leaders from academia, government, the private sector and civil society. Register here (approval required). 

Tracking Down Data: Where to Find Climate and Environmental Information in 2026
Thursday, April 23
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online 

Join EESI and Climate Central for a briefing to discuss a key underpinning of the U.S. economy: publicly-available weather and climate data. In this new information environment, universities, nonprofits, and national associations are stepping up to fill the gaps in maintaining weather and climate data left by the federal government. Panelists will share where to look for these datasets and the implications of these changes for end users. RSVP here.

Policies and Financing Solutions to Modernize U.S. Water Infrastructure
Thursday, May 7
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online 

Today, U.S. waterways—and our drinking water—are vulnerable to aging infrastructure, stormwater and sewage overflows, and extreme weather. In January 2026, Washington, D.C., saw the consequences of such aging infrastructure when a sewer line collapsed, discharging 200 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River—one of the largest spills in U.S. history. This briefing, held in partnership with American Rivers, will explore the country’s most pressing water infrastructure challenges and solutions to close the gap between investment needs and reliable water services. RSVP here.

2026 Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum
Wednesday, June 24
10:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Rayburn House Office Building Foyer and Gold Room (Room 2168) and online

Join EESI for our 29th annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum (EXPO 2026), held in partnership with the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses. Top-level speakers will showcase technologies and solutions that save households money, improve the economy, build resilience, protect our security interests, and reduce carbon emissions. The EXPO is free to attend and open to the public. RSVP here, and stay tuned for panel updates.

Latest Media Coverage

• Our article on data center water use was cited by multiple outlets, including NBC4, Newsweek, and Spectrum News 1.