Monthly Policy Update | May 2021  
 

Need to Know

FEDERAL - Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) & WH Climate Leadership Summit
 - Learn more about the NDC goal of 50-52% emissions reduction by 2030 set forth by President Biden, here.  

 - Major groups within the renewable energy sector have committed to doing their part to help the U.S. meet it's NDC goal.  More...

 - Learn more about some of the key takeaways from President Biden's Climate Leadership Summit a few weeks ago, here.  

FEDERAL - Other
 - Last Friday, the White House announced the creation of a Climate Change Support Office (CCSO) in the State Department.  The Office was created through an executive order issued by President Biden.  More...

 - Some have recently criticized President Biden's plan to "build back better" saying that the administration has yet to put the people or plans in place to accomplish doing so.  More...

 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced a new regulation that will greatly reduce the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  More...

 - In case you missed it, President Biden's administration announced numerous climate and infrastructure appointments on Earth Day.  More...

 - A new report - "State of the Air" - from the American Lung Association, finds that over 40% of people in the U.S. live in areas with poor air quality, and that the individuals most adversely affected are people of color.  More...

MULTIPLE STATES
 - Governors from numerous states sent a letter to President Biden a few weeks ago, urging the President to put a ban in place that would halt the sale of vehicles that release greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2035.  More... 

INDIVIDUAL STATES
CALIFORNIA
 - California is looking to clean-up greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released from vehicles serving warehouses, and it has the potential to lead to changes in other states around the nation as well.  More...

COLORADO
 - Colorado Governor Polis is currently at odds with some climate supporters and lawmakers over a robust climate bill.  More...

ILLINOIS
 - Lion Electric, a Canadian electric vehicle (EV) company, recently announced that they will be building a new production plant in the State of Illinois.  It's estimated that it will also create 750 jobs.  More...

MASSACHUSETTS
 - A few weeks ago, the Commonwealth published a Request for Proposals (RFP) for offshore wind contract bids.  More...

MICHIGAN
 - In early April, the Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force in Michigan urged Governor Whitmer to install more electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.  More...

NEW JERSEY
 - On Earth Day, Governor Murphy revealed a drafted climate change resilience strategy for New Jersey.  The strategy would be available for a public comment period.  More...

Sources:
Ani.  (2021, May 8).  Biden sets up Climate Change Support Office in State Dept.  BigNewsNetwork.com.  URL. 

Asmelash, L.  (2021, April 22).  People of color are three times as likely to live in most polluted places, new report says.  CNN.  URL. 

Aton, A.  (2021, May 10).  ‘The state’s erupting’: Colorado governor angers climate allies.  Energy News Network.  URL. 

Bellon, T.  (2021, May 7).  Canada's Lion Electric says it will build new plant in Illinois, create 750 jobs.  Reuters.  URL. 

CBS News.  (2021, April 24).  7 takeaways from the White House climate summit of world leaders.  Sandhills Express.  URL. 

Flavelle, C.  (2021, May 6).   Biden Promises to ‘Build Back Better.’ Some Climate Experts See Trouble.  The New York Times.  URL. 

Galford, C.  (2021, April).  Renewable energy industry commits to Biden’s 50 percent greenhouse gas reduction target.  Daily Energy Insider.  URL. 

Hersher, R.  (2021, May 3).  EPA Moves To Cut A Group Of Powerful Greenhouse Gases.  NPR.  URL. 

Lannan, K.  (2021, May 7).  State begins 3d procurement for offshore wind.  Commonwealth Magazine.  URL. 

Mallon, E.  (2021, April 2).  State promotes more electric car charging stations in UP.  Michigan State University Spartan News Room.  URL. 

Neuman, S.  (2021, April 21).  Governors Urge Biden To Order 100% Zero-Emission Car Sales By 2035.  NPR.  URL. 

New Jersey Business Magazine.  (2021, April 22).  Murphy Administration Releases State’s First Climate Change Resilience Strategy.  New Jersey Business Magazine.  URL. 

Tabuchi, H.  (2021, May 8).  E-Commerce Mega-Warehouses, a Smog Source, Face New Pollution Rule.  The New York Times.  URL.  

The White House.  (2021, April 22).  FACT SHEET: President Biden Sets 2030 Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Target Aimed at Creating Good-Paying Union Jobs and Securing U.S. Leadership on Clean Energy Technologies.  The White House.  URL. 

The White House.  (2021, April 22).   President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations.  The White House.  URL. 

Our monthly policy updates, information, and opportunities to participate, are developed with support from Ceres, which is an organizational partner of Second Nature.  Ceres has identified the following states plus Washington, D.C. for our primary focus - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. - because of the beneficial legislative climates and real opportunities for policy advancements in these states.  

Note: The states included in each monthly Policy Update will be based on what policy updates we are recommending for that month, and are due to change - but will always be focused on the above states (plus Washington, D.C.) - from month to month.