THIS WEEK IN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

A LOOK BACK ON 2023

In 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration delivered on the most ambitious climate, clean energy, conservation, and environmental justice agenda in history.

Here are some highlights from this year:

January 2023

The Biden-Harris Administration Announces Action to Help Protect Bristol Bay Salmon Fisheries

On January 31, 2023, the EPA announced it issued a Final Determination under the Clean Water Act to help protect Bristol Bay, the most productive wild salmon ecosystem in the world. With this action, the Biden-Harris Administration is protecting certain waters that are important to sustaining Southwest Alaska’s salmon resources from disposal of dredged or fill materials associated with developing the Pebble deposit.

Also in January, President Biden restored protections for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska – the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world, and he protected the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and surrounding watershed, ensuring clean water and a strong recreation economy into the future.

February 2023

EPA Announces Initial Program Design of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund

March 2023

The White House Hosts the First-Ever Conservation in Action Summit, Announces New Action to Conserve and Restore America’s Lands and Waters

At the White House Conservation in Action Summit, President Biden announced major new actions to conserve and restore lands and waters across the nation, including by establishing Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada and Castner Range National Monument in Texas. The President also directed the Secretary of Commerce to consider expanding protections for all U.S. waters around the Pacific Remote Islands, which would reach the goal of conserving 30% of ocean waters under U.S. jurisdiction by 2030. These new commitments build on President Biden’s historic climate and environmental record, and help deliver on the most ambitious land and water conservation agenda in American history.

April 2023

President Biden Signs Executive Order (EO) 14096 to Revitalize Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All

On April 21, 2023, President Biden signed Executive Order 14096, “Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All” to further embed environmental justice into the work of federal agencies, bring clean energy and healthy environments to all, and recognize, address, and mitigate harm to those who have suffered from toxic pollution and other environmental burdens like climate change.

During his first week in office, President Biden launched the most ambitious environmental justice agenda in our nation’s history, and Executive Order 14096 is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government effort to confront longstanding environmental injustices and inequities. With this action, the President is working to ensure that all people – regardless of race, background, income, ability, Tribal affiliation, or zip code – can benefit from the vital safeguards enshrined in our nation’s foundational environmental and civil rights laws.

May 2023

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $161 Million for Landscape Restoration

The Department of the Interior announced plans to infuse $161 million into ecosystem restoration and resilience on the nation’s public lands as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This work, led by the Bureau of Land Management, will focus on 21 “Restoration Landscapes” across 11 western states and will range from restoring wildlife habitat in the sagebrush steppe of the high desert to re-creating wetland meadows to repairing watersheds on former industrial timberlands.

June 2023

U.S. Department of the Treasury, IRS Release Guidance on Provisions to Expand Reach of Clean Energy Tax Credits Through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released guidance on key provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act to expand the reach of the clean energy tax credits and help build projects more quickly and affordably, which will create good-paying jobs, lower energy costs for families, and advance American innovation.

The Inflation Reduction Act created two new credit delivery mechanisms—elective pay (otherwise known as “direct pay”) and transferability—that enable state, local, and Tribal governments; non-profit organizations, U.S. territories; and other entities to take advantage of clean energy tax credits. Until the Inflation Reduction Act introduced these new credit delivery mechanisms, governments, many types of tax-exempt organizations, and even many businesses could not fully benefit from tax credits like those that incentivize clean energy construction.

July 2023

President Biden Designates Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument

On what would have been Emmett Till’s 82^nd birthday, President Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois. The new national monument will tell the story of the events surrounding Emmett Till’s murder, their significance in the civil rights movement and American history, and the broader story of Black oppression, survival, and bravery in America.

The new national monument will be anchored at three historic sites in Chicago, Illinois; Sumner, Mississippi; and just outside of Glendora, Mississippi. These sites are central to Emmett Till’s racially motivated murder in 1955 and the defining events that followed – including the courageous activism and leadership of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. The new national monument will also encourage and enable partnerships between the Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, and local communities and organizations to help conserve and interpret a broader network of historic sites that help tell the story of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley.

August 2023

President Biden Designates Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s unprecedented commitment to protect America’s natural wonders for future generations, honor culturally significant areas, and tell a more complete story of our nation, President Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument in Arizona. The designation protects nearly one million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

This designation, which marked the fifth new national monument established by President Biden, honors Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples by protecting sacred ancestral places and their historically and scientifically important features, while conserving our public lands, protecting wildlife habitat and clean water, and supporting local economies.

September 2023

President Biden launched the American Climate Corps – a workforce initiative that will train over 20,000 young people for good-paying jobs in the clean energy and climate resilience economy.

October 2023

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Largest Offshore Wind Project in the Nation

The Biden-Harris administration announced its approval of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project – the fifth approval of a commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project under President Biden’s leadership. The announcement supports the Administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, following the approval of the Vineyard Wind 1, South Fork Wind, Ocean Wind 1, and Revolution Wind projects. When completed, these five projects will collectively add more than 5 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy to our nation’s grid, enough to power more than 1.75 million homes.

November 2023

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases Fifth National Climate Assessment and Announces More Than $6 Billion to Strengthen Climate Resilience Across the Country

President Biden announced the release of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). NCA5, which assesses changes in the climate, its national and regional impacts, and options for reducing present and future risk, indicates that not only is every region of the country already experiencing the impacts of climate change, but ambitious climate action is underway in every region as well.

In coordination with the release of NCA5, President Biden announced more than $6 billion in investments to make communities across the country more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including by strengthening America’s aging electric grid infrastructure, reducing flood risk to communities, supporting conservation efforts, and advancing environmental justice. The Administration is also releasing new resources to boost climate resilience efforts.

December 2023

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Leverages Historic U.S. Climate Leadership at Home and Abroad to Urge Countries to Accelerate Global Climate Action at U.N. Climate Conference (COP28)

After spearheading the most significant climate action in history at home and leading efforts to tackle the climate crisis abroad, the United States headed into the 28th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) with unprecedented momentum. At COP28, the Biden-Harris Administration urged other major economies to accelerate climate action in this decisive decade and announced new initiatives to galvanize global efforts to keep a resilient, 1.5°C future within reach.

At COP28, the Biden-Harris Administration demonstrated how it is delivering on its commitment for the United States to lead the global response to combatting the climate crisis. Initiatives that the Biden-Harris Administration announced at COP28 include:

• 3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund as the United States works with international partners to mobilize finance at the pace and scale required.
• EPA’s final standards to sharply reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations, which will achieve a nearly 80% reduction below future methane emissions expected without the rule.
• Responding to the Impacts of Climate Change in the Most Climate-Vulnerable Countries and Communities – including announcing its intent to work with Congress to put $17.5 million toward a new fund for climate impact response; $4.5 million to support
• Advancing Women’s and Girls’ Leadership in Tackling the Climate Crisis – including galvanizing over $1.4 billion in investments from the U.S. government and partners through the Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) Initiative.
• Unveiling the first-ever U.S. Ocean Justice Strategy to advance environmental justice for communities that rely on the ocean and Great Lakes for economic, cultural, spiritual, recreational, and food security purposes.
• Expanding the Net-Zero Government Initiative (NZGI). Building on the Initiative’s successful launch at COP27, more than 15 NZGI member countries have developed net zero roadmaps in conjunction with COP28, and 10 new countries will announce they are joining the Initiative for a total of nearly 30 NZGI countries.
• Joining the Freshwater Challenge, the largest-ever global initiative to restore degraded rivers, lakes, and wetlands, which are central to tackling the world’s intertwined water, climate, and nature crises.

“Beginning in January, senior Biden-Harris Administration officials will convene a series of virtual listening sessions to hear directly from prospective American Climate Corps applicants and implementing partners, including conservation and service corps partners, labor unions, educational institutions, employer partners, and state, local, territorial and Tribal governments about their priorities for the American Climate Corps. Each listening session will last roughly 90 minutes and will provide participants with the opportunity to engage directly with Administration officials who are overseeing the initiative, as the Administration works to establish the first cohort of American Climate Corps members by next summer.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $40 Million to Train the Clean Energy Workforce

“In support of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is now accepting applications for competitive funding to upskill the workforce with energy efficiency certifications. Authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Energy Auditor Training program (EAT) will provide up to $40 million in grants for states to train individuals to conduct energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings.”

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Advances Commitment to Protect Old Growth Forests on National Forest System Lands

“The Biden-Harris Administration is today taking new and historic steps to implement President Biden’s direction – issued in his Earth Day 2022 Executive Order on Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies – to conserve and restore America’s mature and old growth forests. America’s forests are a key climate solution, absorbing carbon dioxide equivalent to more than 10% of U.S. annual greenhouse gas emissions. President Biden is leading and delivering on the most ambitious climate agenda in history, including by already protecting more than 26 million acres of lands and waters, and today’s actions will build on this historic progress.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes First-of-its Kind National Forest Plan Amendment to Conserve and Steward Old Growth Forests

“Today, consistent with direction from President Biden in Executive Order 14072 to conserve and restore old and mature forests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposal to amend all 128 forest land management plans to conserve and steward old-growth forest conditions on national forests and grasslands nationwide.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $600M to 11 Grantmakers to Fund Thousands of Environmental Justice Projects Across the Nation as Part of Investing in America Agenda

“As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Biden-Harris Administration announced on Wednesday $600 million for 11 selected Grantmakers under EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in history. This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history.”

PRESS RELEASE: Interior Department Announces $27 Million from President’s Investing in America Agenda for Tribal Dam Safety, Water Sanitation Projects

The Department of the Interior today announced a $27 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to protect Tribal communities by repairing and upgrading clean water systems and replacing failing dams.The President’s Investing in America agenda – a key pillar of Bidenomics – is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitations systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, good paying jobs and economic development in every Tribal community.

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $51 Million from the President’s Investing in America Agenda to Restore and Protect Rivers and Watersheds

“The Department of the Interior today announced more than $51 million in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for 18 projects in eight states that will restore and protect aquatic ecosystems. Crucial funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program will support the study, design and construction of collaboratively developed ecosystem restoration projects that provide widespread regional benefits and improve the health of fisheries, wildlife and aquatic habitat through restoration and improved fish passage.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $530 Million for Building Energy Efficiency and Resilience to Cut Consumer Costs

“Today, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces up to $530 million in technical assistance competitive grants available for the adoption and implementation of the latest model energy codes, zero energy codes, building performance standards, and innovative codes that achieve equivalent energy savings to the latest model and zero energy codes.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Agreement between Seven Federal Agencies to Implement the American Climate Corps

“Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking critical steps to advance the American Climate Corps, a landmark initiative announced by President Biden earlier this year to train the next generation of clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience workers, while putting them on a path to good-paying union jobs. As part of this commitment, today seven federal agencies – the Departments of Commerce, the Interior, Agriculture, Labor and Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and AmeriCorps – are formally entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will serve as a blueprint for the multiagency program. The MOU lays out the mission, goals, priorities, and next steps for implementing President Biden’s American Climate Corps.”

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Accelerate America’s Clean Transportation Future

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to build a clean transportation future, today the Administration is announcing new public and private commitments to boost access to electric vehicles (EVs), save taxpayer dollars, and tackle the climate crisis. This includes leading by example on climate with the release of new Federal employee travel guidelines that direct the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally. These new commitments will save taxpayers money by increasing the use of EVs and taking other cost-effective actions on clean transportation associated with business travel for the Federal workforce.

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Several New Water Conservation Agreements in California to Protect the Colorado River System

“The Biden-Harris administration today announced agreements with several California water agencies to conserve up to 643,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead through 2025. The agreements include approximately $295 million in new investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, a key pillar of Bidenomics, which will fund projects for water conservation, water efficiency, and protection of critical environmental resources in the Colorado River System.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Celebrates Opening of Nation’s First NEVI-Funded EV Charging Stations in Ohio and New York

“The Biden-Harris Administration applauds Ohio and New York for opening America’s first electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. A critical component of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $5 billion over five years to create good-paying American jobs building out reliable EV charging infrastructure with locations at least every 50 miles on highways.”

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces 10-Year Partnership with Tribes and States to Restore Wild Salmon, Expand Clean Energy Production, Increase Resilience, and Provide Energy Stability in the Columbia River Basin

“The Biden-Harris Administration today announced a historic agreement to work in partnership with Tribes and States from the Pacific Northwest to restore wild salmon populations, expand Tribally sponsored clean energy production, and provide stability for communities that depend on the Columbia River System for agriculture, energy, recreation, and transportation. The Biden-Harris Administration has made an unprecedented commitment to honor the United States’ obligations to Tribal Nations and protect and restore America’s natural wonders for future generations, while also recognizing the important benefits that the Columbia River System provides to communities and businesses throughout the region.”

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action to Accelerate America’s Clean Transportation Future

“As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to build a clean transportation future, today the Administration is announcing new public and private commitments to boost access to electric vehicles (EVs), save taxpayer dollars, and tackle the climate crisis. This includes leading by example on climate with the release of new Federal employee travel guidelines that direct the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally.

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $350 Million to 14 States to Reduce Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Sector as Part of Investing in America Agenda

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a conditional commitment to 14 states to receive a total of $350 million in formula grant funding to help measure and reduce methane emissions, one of the biggest drivers of climate change, from the oil and gas sector. The funding, which is made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history—will help states support industry efforts to cut methane emissions from wells on nonfederal lands and support environmental restoration of well sites.”

PRESS RELEASE: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Expands Use of Nature-Based Solutions to Better Protect Communities from the Impacts of Climate Change

“Today, during the 28^th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of the Parties (COP28), the Biden-Harris Administration announced new actions to advance nature-based climate solutions. There is no President in history who has done more to tackle climate change than President Biden. As a result of his efforts, the United States is once again leading the world in addressing the climate crisis, building resilience, and preserving nature for communities today and for future generations.”

PRESS RELEASE: CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory Announces United States Participation in the Global Freshwater Challenge at COP28

“At a United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) Presidency Roundtable on December 10th, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory announced that the United States is joining the Freshwater Challenge, the largest-ever global initiative to restore degraded rivers, lakes, and wetlands, which are central to tackling the world’s intertwined water, climate, and nature crises.

In alignment with President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative which sets a goal to conserve and restore at least 30 percent of our nation’s lands and waters by 2030, the Freshwater Challenge aims to support, integrate, and accelerate the restoration of 300,000 km of degraded rivers globally – equivalent to more than seven times the distance around the Earth.”