Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

This summer has been busy here at EESI, and as always, we’re focused on making sure our readers get all the resources they need on science-based solutions to climate change. Today, our issue has a slightly different format in celebration of our upcoming Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum. This event, set for Tuesday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building Foyer and Gold Room (Room 2168), will bring together bipartisan members of Congress, clean energy sector leaders, and key players in the government and nonprofit sectors for a day full of panels, exhibitions, and Congressional remarks showcasing all things renewable energy and energy efficiency. 

Don’t forget to RSVP! The EXPO is free and open to all, so come join us. And to get you excited about our awesome panels, this issue of Climate Change Solutions features EESI resources that focus on this year’s EXPO panel topics. 

We’re also featuring four new Farm Bill side-by-sides—EESI’s updates on changes between the 2018 Farm Bill and the House’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R.8467). 

ICYMI, EESI’s president, Daniel Bresette issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine: “This decision takes the necessary leeway to resolve ambiguities in statute away from technically- and scientifically-qualified experts and policymakers, and instead hands it to judges.” 

Fresh Farm Bill: A new batch of legislative side-by-sides highlighting key changes between the House’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 (H.R.8467) and existing law are now available for the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, Community Wood Grant Program, Local Agriculture Market Program, and Office of Urban and Innovative Agriculture Program. 

Progress on Appropriations: The House Committee on Appropriations approved appropriations bills for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (H.R.9027), Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies (H.R.8997), and Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (H.R.8998). Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025 (S.4690) with strong bipartisan support. These bills will now progress to the House and Senate floors, respectively, for consideration. 

Congress Overflowing with Water Restoration: Both the House and Senate passed water restoration reauthorization legislation last week. The House passed the Long Island Sound Restoration and Stewardship Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R.5441), which Reps. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) and Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) reintroduced to reauthorize conservation programs under the Environmental Protection Agency for the next five years. In addition, the Senate passed the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act (S.612), reintroduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). The bill extends authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for the next 10 years, and supports forest health, wildfire protections, water quality initiatives, invasive species control, and other projects throughout the Lake Tahoe watershed. 

Congress on Track for Water Resources Reauthorization: Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and bipartisan cosponsors introduced the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (H.R.8812), a legislative package that reauthorizes flood control, ecosystem restoration, and other water resource projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers every two years. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved its version of the bill in May.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for June 17-21, June 24-28, July 1-5, and July 8-12.

EESI is tracking recent announcements and updates about the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

• The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced an $11 billion investment in the Hudson River Tunnel, a new rail project that would provide a key connection point in the heavily trafficked corridor between New York and New Jersey.
• DOT also announced $1.5 billion in funding for public transportation modernization projects across 47 states. This transit modernization funding will deploy low- and zero-emission buses to improve commutes across the country.
• The Federal Emergency Management Administration announced $1 billion in funding for 656 projects that invest in climate resilience. The projects were selected by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which works to ensure communities can prepare for extreme weather and natural disasters that are often exacerbated by climate change.

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

• The Department of Energy announced almost $2 billion in funding to support the conversion of 11 “shuttered or at-risk” automobile facilities into manufacturing facilities for electric vehicles and their components. The program is funded through the Domestic Manufacturing Auto Conversion Grants program.
• The Department of the Interior announced $120 million in funding for tribes to engage in climate resilience and threat preparation. The Tribal Climate Resilience program has been funded by both the IRA and IIJA. Read EESI’s piece on the program here.

2024 Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum
Tuesday, July 30
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT
Rayburn House Office Building Foyer, Gold Room (Room 2168), and online

EESI and the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses invite you to join us for the 27th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum (EXPO 2024). Top-level speakers will showcase technologies and solutions that reduce carbon emissions, save households money, improve the economy, build resilience, and protect our security interests. RSVP here.

Latest Media Coverage

• GreenBiz quoted EESI's press release on the Chevron decision in an article about how the ruling might impact corporate climate commitments.
• The Herald News of Massachusetts referenced EESI’s article on rail electrification in a piece about construction delays for the South Coast Rail system.
• Farmdoc Daily, an online publication managed by the University of Illinois, used graphics from two articles in EESI’s sustainable agriculture series—one on rotational livestock grazing and another on agroforestry—in a paper about climate-smart agriculture.
• EESI’s article about Catawba College achieving carbon neutrality was cited by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in a blog post on the same topic.