What Good have President Biden and Vice President Harris Done for the Environment? An Unprecedented Amount of Good!

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

• PFAS Regulation: The EPA has finalized rules to address contamination by PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as "forever chemicals." These regulations include designating PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances, enabling stronger enforcement to ensure polluters pay for cleanup costs. This action aims to protect public health by reducing exposure to these harmful chemicals​​. (learn more)
• Methane Emissions: The EPA has established stringent standards to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. These standards are expected to cut millions of tons of pollutants, providing significant health benefits, especially to communities near oil and gas operations​​.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: The President’s Inflation Reduction Act created a first-of-its-kind, national-scale program: the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—a $27 billion investment to mobilize financing and private capital to address the climate crisis, ensure our country’s economic competitiveness, and promote energy independence while delivering lower energy costs and economic revitalization to communities that have historically been left behind.
• Solar for All: $7 billion low-income programs to enable over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities to benefit from distributed solar energy. These programs will deliver on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, delivering cost savings on electric bills for overburdened households, and unlocking new markets for distributed solar in 25 states and territories that have never had a statewide low-income solar program before. 
  
  

Department of Energy (DOE):

• Clean Energy Initiatives: The DOE has secured substantial funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize the electric grid, support clean energy projects, and enhance grid resilience. These investments include $169 million to accelerate electric heat pump manufacturing and billions for grid upgrades to handle increased renewable energy capacity​​​​.
• Offshore Wind Deployment: The DOE has released plans to expand offshore wind projects, which are expected to reduce costs and increase clean energy production, contributing to job creation and environmental benefits​​.
  
  

Department of the Interior (DOI):

• Conservation Efforts: The DOI has played a crucial role in conserving and restoring lands and waters. Notable achievements include the protection of the Tongass National Forest, preventing oil and gas leasing in the U.S. Arctic Ocean, and establishing new national monuments like Avi Kwa Ame and Castner Range, which protect significant cultural and natural resources​​.
• Transmission Infrastructure: The DOI celebrated the completion of the Ten West Link transmission line, which enhances electricity reliability and supports the integration of solar energy projects​​. (learn more and sustainability initiatives)
  
  

Federal Government Initiatives:

• Environmental Justice: The administration has focused on advancing environmental justice through the release of the Ocean Climate Action Plan and other policies that ensure disadvantaged communities benefit from environmental actions​​.
• Sustainable Federal Operations: By executive order, federal agencies have been directed to establish chief sustainability officers and decarbonize federal operations. This includes transitioning the U.S. Postal Service to electric vehicles and other measures to reduce the federal environmental footprint​​.
  
  

Department of State:

Climate Finance: The State Department has significantly increased U.S. international public climate finance, aiming to meet Biden's pledge of $11 billion annually by 2024. The funds are directed towards supporting climate action in developing countries and promoting global climate initiatives​​.


Department of Treasury:

Climate Financing: The Treasury Department has been pivotal in implementing the financial aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act, including tax credits for renewable energy and electric vehicles. These initiatives encourage investments in clean energy technologies and infrastructure​​.


Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Climate-Smart Commodities: USDA has launched programs to promote climate-smart agriculture to support practices that sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide direct, meaningful benefits to production agriculture, including for small and underserved producers. This includes funding for wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem restoration​​.


Department of Justice (DOJ):

Environmental Enforcement: The DOJ has strengthened enforcement actions against polluters, particularly regarding PFAS contamination, ensuring those responsible for pollution are held accountable for cleanup costs​​.


Department of Commerce:

Marine Conservation: The Department of Commerce, through NOAA, has been involved in initiatives like the Ocean Climate Action Plan and considerations for new marine sanctuaries to protect critical marine environments and promote sustainable use of ocean resources​​.


Department of Labor:

Green Jobs: The Department of Labor has supported the creation of green jobs through investments in clean energy sectors, ensuring workers have access to training and opportunities in emerging industries like renewable energy and electric vehicle manufacturing​​.


Department of Defense (DOD):

Energy Resilience: The DOD has made strides in improving energy resilience and reducing its carbon footprint by transitioning to electric vehicles and implementing energy-efficient practices across military installations​​.


Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

Public Health and Climate: HHS has addressed the health impacts of climate change by supporting initiatives that reduce air pollution, such as stricter emissions standards for pollutants that affect respiratory health and increase cancer risks​​.


Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

Sustainable Housing: HUD has promoted energy-efficient and sustainable housing practices, providing grants and support for retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in residential areas​​.


Department of Transportation (DOT):

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure: DOT has approved plans for a national electric vehicle charging network, supported by $5 billion in funding, to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles and reduce transportation-related emissions​​.


Department of Education:

Green Ribbon Schools: The Department of Education has encouraged the integration of sustainability into school curricula and operations, promoting energy-efficient practices and environmental education programs​​.


Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

Green Initiatives in VA Facilities: The VA has implemented energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in its facilities, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of healthcare operations and improve sustainability​​.


Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

Climate Resilience: DHS has focused on improving climate resilience and preparedness for natural disasters, supporting initiatives that enhance the ability of communities to withstand and recover from climate-related events​​.


USPS (United States Postal Service):

Electric Vehicle Transition: USPS has committed to transitioning its fleet to electric vehicles, incorporating the social cost of greenhouse gases into procurement decisions to enhance environmental benefits​​.


Attorney Generals' Offices:

Environmental Enforcement: State Attorney Generals have played a key role in enforcing environmental regulations and holding polluters accountable, supporting federal efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect public health​​.


Office of Management and Budget (OMB):

Climate Considerations in Budgeting: OMB has incorporated the social cost of greenhouse gases into budgeting and procurement processes, aiming to reduce emissions and save taxpayer dollars through more informed decision-making​​. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently estimated that climate-related disasters could increase annual federal spending by over $100 billion and decrease annual federal revenue by up to $2 trillion by the end of the century.


FTC (Federal Trade Commission):

Green Marketing Regulations: The FTC has worked to prevent deceptive environmental claims, ensuring that companies accurately represent the environmental benefits of their products and services​​.


PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio):

Environmental Programming: PBS and NPR have increased their focus on environmental issues, producing educational content and investigative journalism to raise public awareness about climate change and sustainability​​.


NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration):

Climate Research: NASA has developed extensive tools to analyze climate risks and impacts on its operations, contributing to broader understanding and mitigation of climate change effects​​.


SBA (Small Business Administration):

Support for Green Businesses: The SBA has provided loans and grants to support small businesses in adopting sustainable practices and developing clean energy technologies​​.


AmeriCorps:

Climate Corps: AmeriCorps has launched the American Climate Corps, mobilizing young people to work on climate resilience and sustainability projects across the country​​.


Peace Corps:

Environmental Programs: The Peace Corps has expanded its environmental programs, sending volunteers to work on sustainability and climate adaptation projects in developing countries​​.


Smithsonian Institution:

Conservation Research: The Smithsonian has conducted extensive research on biodiversity and conservation, contributing valuable data to inform climate policy and habitat restoration efforts​​.


Fannie Mae:

Green Financing: Fannie Mae has increased its support for energy-efficient mortgages and green building projects, promoting sustainable housing practices​​.


National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF):

Wildlife Conservation: The NFWF has funded projects to restore and protect critical habitats, enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change​​.

These achievements highlight the administration's comprehensive approach to tackling climate change, promoting clean energy, and ensuring environmental justice.