It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy.   

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CLIMATE, THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND YOU
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews ([link removed])
Correspondent

Senate Democrats provided an incredible last few weeks of season-ending drama in Congress, concluding with a roller-coaster weekend that lurched from a rare, overnight vote session into a potentially bill-killing disagreement ([link removed]) at the 11th hour.

But little of that matters now.

Because, by dinnertime Sunday night, Democrats had heaved their Inflation Reduction Act past its toughest test: the Senate. (Sidenote: Some of us have nicknamed this the “CHAT Act” because it includes provisions on climate, health and taxes – and required a lot of chats on the Senate floor.)

The bill has significant changes to drug price policy and corporate taxes. But, topping the list of potentially impactful items is its work on climate change ([link removed]) .

Advocates repeatedly call it historic. Among the top items are tax credits that can help individuals and families. We thought we’d spotlight some of these incentives:

Electric vehicles
* The bill provides $7,500 in tax credits for buying new electric vehicles, $4,000 for used EVs.
* The vehicle cannot be top-end. New sedans must be priced under $55,000, and trucks and SUVs under $80,000.
* And the buyers cannot be ultra-rich. To qualify for the full credit, an individual must make $150,000 or less, and married couples $300,000 or less.
* Republicans see this area as a giveaway to suburban liberals, but Democrats insist this is a potentially culture-shifting provision.
* One change from past EV tax credits: This can be applied at the dealership when you purchase ([link removed]) .
* This begins next year. Warning: Some automakers have said they are not sure they will be able to meet demand initially ([link removed]) .

Making your home more energy-efficient
* Want to install solar panels at your home? This bill includes a renewed tax credit of 30 percent ([link removed]) through 2032, when it decreases to 26 percent until 2034.
* Heat pumps are on the table as well. The bill would provide a rebate of up to $8,000 for efficient heat pumps that can both heat and cool homes and $1,750 for a similar device to replace older hot water heaters.
* Supply side note: The bill also launches a new production tax credit – the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit – to push American industry to produce more of the most needed renewable components. That means battery cells, wind blades, solar-grade polysilicon, to name a few.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What would you like to know about climate change and politics? Do you have questions about climate policy in Congress? Maybe about what your lawmaker thinks about addressing the issue or about something happening in your state? Send the Here's the Deal team an email at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

More on the Inflation Reduction Act from our coverage:
* Watch: A single vote could have sunk the Inflation Reduction Act. Here’s how Democrats managed to get the bill across the finish line ([link removed]) .
* One Big Question: Tackling climate change is not a problem solved overnight, and this bill is not the be-all, end-all to climate policy. Going forward, what are some other steps the Biden administration could take ([link removed]) ?
* A Close Look: Health care was another piece of this bill. Here’s how it aims to lower drug costs ([link removed]) .
* Perspectives: Passing the Inflation Reduction Act through this Senate is a major victory. What could this mean for the midterms? Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Annie Linskey of The Washington Post weigh in ([link removed]) .

A TOXIC LEGACY OF URANIUM MINES
By Joshua Barajas, @Josh_Barrage ([link removed])
Senior Editor, Digital

For several decades since World War II, uranium ore was heavily extracted in the U.S. to produce energy and power the Cold War’s weapons program. However, that process also left behind a toxic legacy of radioactive waste that’s been felt for generations in the Southwest region of the country.

The investigative news outlet ProPublica has documented how uranium mining in the area has exposed many surrounding communities to high levels of radiation, particularly Native communities. ProPublica reported there are more than 500 known abandoned uranium mines across the Navajo Nation, many of them within a mile of a water source.

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The challenge for communities impacted by the radioactive waste has been seeking accountability from the mining company and government agencies that have repeatedly promised ([link removed]) to clean up the waste.

“We never get real clear answers,” said John Boomer, an artist and resident of Cibola County, New Mexico. “We have asked for health studies, cancer cluster studies and things like that, and it all seems to just kind of go here and there.”

How you can help

ProPublica is continuing its investigation, but can also use your help. If you have worked with any public agencies, consulting firms, tribes or companies involved in the uranium industry, you can share your experience by going to ProPublica.org/uranium ([link removed]) .

#POLITICSTRIVIA
Photo by Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

By Joshua Barajas, @Josh_Barrage ([link removed])
Senior Editor, Digital

Though more details have yet to come from the FBI’s court-approved search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, the move marks a crescendo in one of several investigations into Trump’s time in office ([link removed]) .

Our question: Before Mar-a-Lago became known as a Trump property, which former president visited the location by helicopter to scout its potential as a presidential enclave?

Send your answers to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: As of Aug. 2, how many states have already certified abortion-related ballot measures for the November election?

The answer: Four. They are: California, Kentucky, Montana and Vermont. (The key word in this week’s trivia question was “November.”) There are more states, like Michigan and Colorado, that are considering adding ballot measures ([link removed]) for November.

Congratulations to our winner: Ed Witt!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.
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