April 6, 2024
Dear Friends,
I believe that ensuring responsible, sound stewardship of our planet is among the most important responsibilities of lawmakers today. One of the driving forces that compelled me to run for Congress was my desire to enact clear, meaningful clean energy policy. As Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials, as well as a co-chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, I’ve worked tirelessly in Congress to provide American businesses and manufacturers with the resources they need to tap into the “green collar” job markets of the future, making our nation a leader on protecting the environment and making the world more sustainable for generations to come.
After years of denial, delay, and inaction, we took a monumental step last Congress to address climate change with the enactment of our Inflation Reduction Act. This legislation — which is central to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda — catalyzes public and private capital for projects that slash harmful climate pollution, improve air quality, lower energy costs, and create good-paying jobs.
The transition to a green economy is expected to save families an average of $1,000 per year in energy costs. Millions of New Yorkers are currently eligible for tax credits that will make it easier and more affordable for them to upgrade to more efficient appliances, purchase an electric vehicle, install residential clean energy systems, and save money on their energy bills. You can check out this week’s ‘Did You Know?’ below to learn more about how to access these benefits.
Clean energy tax benefits are only one facet of the massive savings and community benefits brought about by the Inflation Reduction Act. Just this week, the Biden Administration announced $20 billion in awards under the Inflation Reduction Act's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to expand access to clean energy and decrease energy costs for communities. This historic investment will support a wide range of climate and clean energy projects, including distributed clean power generation and storage, net-zero retrofits of homes and small businesses, and zero-emission transportation, all of which will lower energy costs for families and improve housing affordability.
Specifically, these investments would reduce or avoid up to 40 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually over the next seven years and would primarily be used to benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities, with at least 70 percent of the funds being directed to these communities. And the benefits of our climate legislation just keep coming.
Many climate deniers will try to present a false choice between a clean environment and a robust economy. Our Inflation Reduction Act — and the administration’s larger Investing in America Agenda — make crystal clear that we can build a healthier planet and a stronger economy while driving clean energy investments. President Biden’s and Democrats’ agenda offers so much more than a short-term boost for clean jobs and infrastructure investments. It’s also a pledge to the next generation to leave them a world better than we found it.
It is on all of us to be conscientious consumers to help contribute to achieving our climate goals. Bolstered by your passion and commitment, I’ll continue looking for any and every opportunity to drive meaningful action that brings about a cleaner, more just, and more equitable future for all.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- As we approach the final days of tax season, I want to share the wide array of clean energy and home improvement credits that are available to you today to take advantage of this filing season.
- Collectively, these tax credits are expected to save Americans $38 billion on their electricity bills. You can join in on these savings by utilizing the:
- If you weren’t able to take advantage of these benefits this year, you can always access these tax credits for next tax season. And these credits are just the beginning. In the coming years, the Inflation Reduction Act’s soon-to-be-implemented home rebate program will bring consumers even more support for energy-efficient upgrades and savings.
- Here’s the full list of benefits and cost-savings that you and your family could access today!
