[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 330 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 330
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 8, 2019
Mr. Ted Lieu of California (for himself, Mr. Gomez, Ms. Lee of
California, Ms. DeLauro, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Solutions
Act of 2019''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; sense of Congress.
TITLE I--RENEWABLE ENERGY
Sec. 101. National renewable energy standard.
TITLE II--ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Sec. 201. National energy efficiency standard.
TITLE III--SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS
Sec. 301. Emission reduction targets.
Sec. 302. National academies review.
Sec. 303. Regulations.
Sec. 304. Savings clause.
Sec. 305. Definitions.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The United States has the objective of stabilizing
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent ``dangerous anthropogenic interference'' with the
climate system as demonstrated by becoming a party to the 1992
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, pledging
to China to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 28 percent of
their 2005 levels by 2025, and regulating greenhouse gas
emissions from stationary sources, mobile sources, and
electrical power suppliers.
(2) To achieve this objective, the increase in global mean
surface temperature should not exceed 2C (3.6F) above
preindustrial temperature by 2100 consistent with the Paris
Agreement that entered into force in 2016.
(3) The risks associated with a temperature increase above
2C (3.6F) are grave, including the disintegration of the
Greenland ice sheet, which, if it were to melt completely,
would raise global average sea level by approximately 23 feet,
devastating many of the world's coastal areas and population
centers.
(4) A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change demonstrated that limiting the temperature increase to
1.5C will result in still harmful, but significantly less
severe outcomes than a 2C increase.
(5) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects
that temperatures will rise 1.5C between 2030 and 2052. In
order to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C, global net
anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions must reach net zero by
2050.
(6) The 2018 National Climate Assessment, authored by more
than 300 experts and released by the United States Global
Change Research Program, makes clear that the present
unprecedented rises in global temperature are primarily due to
human activities. The changing climate will devastate all
sectors of society and disproportionately harm the most
vulnerable communities.
(7) Serious global warming impacts have already been
observed in the United States and worldwide, including--
(A) increases in heat waves and other extreme
weather events;
(B) rise in sea level, retreat of glaciers and
polar ice;
(C) decline in mountain snowpack, increased drought
(including droughts in the West and South United
States) resulting in damage to our economy and
property;
(D) extreme weather conditions resulting in
wildfires, stronger hurricanes, and polar vortex
occurrences resulting in further damage to property and
our economy;
(E) damage to our environment such as ocean
acidification, extensive coral bleaching, migrations,
and shifts in the yearly cycles of plants and animals;
and
(F) effects on human population, including
population displacement and adverse health effects such
as the spread of infectious diseases and climate-
related conditions such as asthma.
(8) Scientists project that under a midrange estimate of
global warming, by 2050, roughly 25 percent of animal and plant
species will be committed to extinction.
(9) After remaining steady from 2014 to 2016, global carbon
dioxide emissions increased 1.6 percent in 2017.
(10) Decisive action is needed to minimize the many dangers
posed by global warming.
(11) The timing of such action is critical, given that
greenhouse gases can persist in the atmosphere for more than a
century.
(12) With less than 5 percent of the world population, the
United States emits approximately 15 percent of the world's
total greenhouse gas emissions and must be a leader in
addressing global warming.
(13) The State of California, the 5th largest economy in
the world, has shown that renewable energy standards and
greenhouse gas emissions regulation can reduce greenhouse gas
emissions while fostering significant economic growth.
(14) Existing energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy
technologies can reduce global warming pollution, while saving
consumers money, reducing our dependence on oil, enhancing
national security, cleaning the air, and protecting pristine
places from drilling and mining.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the
United States should participate in negotiations under the 1992 United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and honor its
commitments therefrom with the objective of securing and continuing
United States participation in agreements, including the Paris
Agreement that the United States accepted on September 3, 2016, and
took effect on November 4, 2016, that--
(1) establish mitigation commitments by all countries that
are major emitters of greenhouse gases, consistent with the
principle of common but differentiated responsibilities;
(2) achieve reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions
at a pace and level sufficient to avoid dangerous interference
with the Earth's climate; and
(3) advance and protect the economic and national security
interests of the United States.
TITLE I--RENEWABLE ENERGY
SEC. 101. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD.
Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 610. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall promulgate regulations
requiring that--
``(1) beginning in calendar year 2020, the percentage of
electric energy generated from renewable sources that is sold
at the retail level in the United States shall increase each
year; and
``(2) in calendar year 2035 and each subsequent calendar
year, such percentage shall not be less than 100 percent of the
total electric energy sold at the retail level in the United
States.
``(b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall carry out this section in
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to preempt or limit State actions to enhance renewable energy
generation or energy efficiency.''.
TITLE II--ENERGY EFFICIENCY
SEC. 201. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD.
(a) In General.--Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act of 1978, as amended by section 101 of this Act, is further amended
by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 611. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall promulgate regulations in
accordance with this section setting end-user savings targets for
retail electric energy and natural gas suppliers.
``(b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall carry out this section in
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency.
``(c) Requirements.--With respect to targets under subsection (a):
``(1) The targets shall require each supplier to secure
annual savings of a set percentage of the supplier's most
recent year's sales to retail customers.
``(2) The savings shall be achieved through end-use
efficiency improvements at customer facilities.
``(3) The targets--
``(A) for retail electric energy suppliers shall
increase gradually from 0.25 percent of sales in 2020
to 1.5 percent of sales in 2025 and each year
thereafter through 2030; and
``(B) for retail natural gas suppliers shall
increase gradually from 0.25 percent of sales in 2020
to 0.5 percent of sales in 2025 and each year
thereafter through 2030.
``(4) The targets are cumulative. Each year's savings shall
be achieved in addition to the previous years' savings.
``(d) Required Percentages After 2030.--The Secretary may, upon
petition or upon the Secretary's own initiative, increase the required
percentage of end-user savings for years after 2030.
``(e) Market-Based Trading System.--The Secretary shall allow
suppliers to achieve the targets under subsection (a) through a market-
based trading system.
``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to preempt or limit State actions to enhance renewable energy
generation or energy efficiency.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for the Public
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 is amended by inserting after
the item relating to section 608 the following:
``Sec. 609. Rural and remote communities electrification grants.
``Sec. 610. National renewable energy standard.
``Sec. 611. National energy efficiency standard.''.
TITLE III--SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS
SEC. 301. EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this title
referred to as the ``Administrator'') shall promulgate annual emission
reduction targets for each of calendar years 2030 through 2050, so as
to ensure that the quantity of United States greenhouse gas emissions--
(1) in 2035, is at least 40 percent below the quantity of
such emissions in 1990; and
(2) in 2050, is at least 80 percent below the quantity of
such emissions in 1990.
SEC. 302. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REVIEW.
Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
and every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall enter into an
arrangement with the National Academies (or, if the National Academies
decline to enter into such arrangement, another appropriate entity)
under which the National Academies, acting through the National Academy
of Sciences and the National Research Council, will submit a report to
the Administrator and the Congress on the prospects for avoiding
dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system and the
progress made to date. Each such report shall--
(1) evaluate whether the emission reduction targets
promulgated pursuant to section 301 and the policies to reduce
United States greenhouse gas emissions under this Act, the
amendments made by this Act, and other provisions of law,
including the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), are
likely to be sufficient to avoid dangerous climate change,
taking into account the actions of other nations; and
(2) if the National Academies concludes that such targets
and policies are not likely to be sufficient to avoid dangerous
climate change--
(A) identify the needed amount of further
reductions in atmospheric greenhouse gas
concentrations; and
(B) recommend additional United States and
international actions to further reduce atmospheric
greenhouse gas concentrations.
SEC. 303. REGULATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator shall--
(1) not later than 7 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, promulgate final regulations to implement the
emission reduction targets under section 301; and
(2) not less than every 5 years thereafter--
(A) review such regulations, taking into account
the reports under section 302; and
(B) revise such regulations as necessary to
implement such emission reduction targets.
(b) Rulemaking on Recommendations of National Academies.--If any
report under section 302 includes a recommendation under section
302(2)(B) for regulatory action by a Federal department or agency, and
such regulatory action is within the authority of such department or
agency (under law other than this subsection), the head of such
department or agency shall, not later than 2 years after the submission
of such report, finalize a rulemaking--
(1) to carry out such regulatory action; or
(2) to explain the reasons for declining to act.
(c) Additional Regulations.--The regulations promulgated under
subsection (a) may include additional regulations to reduce emissions
of United States greenhouse gases from any source or sector. Any such
regulations that address sources whose greenhouse gas emissions are
regulated pursuant to section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
7411(d)) shall account for the compliance schedule promulgated pursuant
to such section 111(d). Regulations under this section may include
market-based measures, emissions performance standards, efficiency
performance standards, best management practices, technology-based
requirements, and other forms of requirements.
(d) Relation to Other Authority.--The authority vested by this
title is in addition to the authority to regulate greenhouse gas
emissions pursuant to other provisions of law.
SEC. 304. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
Nothing in this title shall be interpreted to preempt or limit
State actions to address climate change.
SEC. 305. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Greenhouse gas.--The term ``greenhouse gas'' means--
(A) carbon dioxide;
(B) methane;
(C) nitrous oxide;
(D) hydrofluorocarbons;
(E) perfluorocarbons;
(F) sulfur hexafluoride; or
(G) any other anthropogenically emitted gas that is
determined by the Administrator, after notice and
comment, to contribute to global warming to a non-
negligible degree.
(2) United states greenhouse gas emissions.--The term
``United States greenhouse gas emissions'' means the total
quantity of greenhouse gas emissions calculated by the
Administrator on an annual basis and reported to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.
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