Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

As this summer’s extreme rainfalls, floods, heat waves, and wildfires rage on, we’re highlighting innovative technologies—from weather-forecasting supercomputers at the U.S. National Laboratories to upgraded air filters for wildfire-vulnerable homes—that are helping boost resilience efforts for communities and decision-makers alike.

Last week, EESI held our 28th annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum. The day featured back-to-back panels on key energy topics like smart home technologies, data centers and energy demand, mobility and transportation solutions, and energy security. Leaders of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucuses—Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) as well as Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.)—and four other members of Congress shared remarks about their clean energy priorities. Missed out? No sweat—you can find the recordings for all eight panels and lawmakers here.

Finally, Climate Change Solutions will be on break for Congress’s August recess, but fear not, we’ll be back September 9. Happy summer!

Wielding Artificial Intelligence, the National Labs Take a Stab at Disaster Resilience
[7 min. read]

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratories are leveraging artificial intelligence to support innovations in natural disaster and extreme weather forecasting. These tools are identifying flood risks to individual neighborhoods, tracking wildfire boundaries and burn severity, and calculating risks to transmission lines in winter storms and heat waves alike. [click for more]

Dam Hydropower Bill Spills Over to the Senate: The House passed Reps. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and Russ Fulcher’s (R-Idaho) Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act (H.R.3657). If passed, the bill would bolster the clean energy sector and help meet increased energy demand by making hydropower dam licensing processes more efficient. 

House Charges Ahead with Solar and Battery Bill: The House passed the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act (H.R.1043). Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) reintroduced the bill to permit the transfer of federal lands to Arizona’s La Paz County for solar energy development. The project would create more than 700 jobs, and the resulting solar park would have enough solar and battery storage capacity to power about 75,000 homes. Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) lead the bill’s Senate companion (S.909). 

Appropriate Measures in these and Senate: The House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.4754/S.2431) and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.4552/S.2465). The House Committee on Appropriations also advanced the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026 (H.R.4553). Each of these bills will now progress to the floors of their respective chambers for votes.

Great Bill of Fire Advances to Senate Floor: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced the Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025 (S.306), which Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced alongside bipartisan cosponsors. The bill aims to establish a Fire Weather Services program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and authorize funding for the development of innovative wildfire forecasting technologies.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for July 14-18 and July 21-25.

The Ohio River
Tuesday, September 9
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. EDT
Breakfast and networking begin at 8:30 a.m. EDT
Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online

Hosted alongside the Ohio River Basin Alliance, this briefing will outline how policymakers and community stakeholders can help restore the health of the Ohio River. The Ohio is an important driver of economic growth for the six states it runs through—Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Policymakers will leave with an understanding of how collaboration between community stakeholders, industry, and federal, state, and local governments advances pollution remediation work, conservation efforts, and climate resilience projects. This event will feature opening remarks by Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) and Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.). RSVP here.

Artificial Intelligence: Climate Friend or Foe?
Thursday, September 25
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) and online

Don't miss this briefing about the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change in federal policy-making. Panelists will provide a foundational understanding of AI’s role in the climate and energy arena, focusing on the massive energy and water needs of data centers that run AI algorithms and how the technology is already being put to use as well as highlighting the frontiers of AI, including the federal government’s role in research and development at the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories. RSVP here.

Latest Media Coverage

• The Cool Down quoted EESI President Daniel Bresette, who emphasized the need for clean power in an article about the high energy consumption of data centers. 
• The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette quoted Daniel in an article about the lack of public disclosure surrounding proposed data center projects in Arkansas [subscription required].
• Daniel was also quoted by Context in an article about the Trump Administration’s desire to preserve the coal industry to power data centers.
• EESI’s article on water consumption from data centers was cited by Semiconductor Engineering in a piece about AI, data centers, and energy demand.
• Interesting Engineering cited an EESI article on floating solar panels in a piece about a floating solar array and fishery in China.