President Biden makes a key climate nomination
Back-to-back good news on the climate front is good news indeed. I for one could get used to this unexpected but very welcome turn of events when it comes to government action on climate.
First was the incredible news of the Manchin-Schumer climate proposal (aka The Inflation Reduction Act), which included most (but not all) of the climate provisions in the ill-fated Build Back Better bill. Looks like we are actually going pass the largest ever legislative act in the United States to address climate. It advanced in the Senate yesterday and should make it out of the House next week. I trust all of you are doing everything you can to advocate for this bill.
Now this week comes news of Biden’s nomination of David Crane for Under Secretary of Infrastructure — a position created as part of a Department of Energy restructure to implement the 2020 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and its $62 billion in clean energy investment. It would be understandable if you missed it, as nominations are less attention-grabbing than major legislative initiatives, but I view the move as significant. Among the many responsibilities in this portfolio is oversight of the federal government’s sure-to-be enormous investments in key energy transition opportunities, such as green hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration/storage.