|
to carbon price in reconciliation; email Biden
It’s been widely reported that Senate Democrats are likely to include a carbon fee with cashback to households in the budget reconciliation bill currently being drafted in Congress. But you may have wondered: where does the President stand on this policy? At a White House press briefing recently, the administration opened the door for carbon pricing. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked if a carbon tax would violate the president’s campaign pledge to not raise taxes on all but the very wealthy. Psaki replied, “Polluter fees on corporations do not conflict with the $400,000 pledge.” Biden’s tax pledge was a question hanging over that provision that has now been put to rest. As the budget reconciliation bill makes its way through Congress, the President’s support for carbon pricing could help ensure that this essential tool is included in the legislation that emerges at the end of this process. While Psaki’s quote shows that the administration is leaving the door open for a carbon price, they are not vocally advocating for it yet. That’s why the President needs to hear from you! CCL has a goal of generating 20,000 messages to the President urging him to support a price on carbon. Write to the President and ask others to take this action, too.
In other news this week: Podcast launches with Sen. Whitehouse interview: Washington Examiner reporter Josh Siegel and former FERC chair Neil Chatterjee launched a podcast last week, Plugged In, and their first guest was Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. During the interview, Whitehouse confirmed that “the carbon pollution fee [...] seems highly likely at this point to be in the Finance Committee reconciliation package.” Check out the podcast. Resources for the Future study: Resources for the Future (RFF) modeled several scenarios for the climate measures expected in the reconciliation bill, and they found that including a price on carbon would drive major emissions reductions over the next decade. With the carbon price included, the U.S. could cut emissions 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. Check out and share this graphic that shows very simply the difference a carbon price makes. Gasoline may be exempted from carbon fee: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) signaled that a carbon fee could exempt consumer gasoline. RFF found that with a gasoline exemption, emissions reductions would still be 50% below 2005 levels, only 2% less than it would be if gasoline were included in the fee. This means a carbon fee that exempts consumer gasoline would still deliver meaningful emissions reductions while insulating consumers from even slight price increases at the pump. Carbon pricing op-ed makes the rounds on Twitter: A new op-ed in The Hill about carbon pricing was widely shared on Twitter this week, including by Sen. Dick Durbin, VP of Government Affairs Anne Kelly and by Dr. Robert Bullard. Ceres is a think tank working with businesses to promote climate solutions and sustainability. Dr. Bullard is co-chair of National Black Environmental Justice Network and the HBCU Climate Change Consortium, and he is known as the father of environmental justice. Job opening at CCL: Citizens’ Climate Education is hiring a front end developer to work in our IT department. Learn more and apply here. |
