Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012

A Menu of Effective and Feasible Federal Solutions for Congress

April 11, 2012

Congress can take steps today that will help get us on the path toward achieving three critical goals: Producing more clean energy to grow the economy. Reducing pollution while saving energy and dollars. Building more resilient and balanced economies and communities. The congressional actions outlined below would achieve these goals, which are critical for accelerating the new clean energy economic transformation that has already begun and for moving forcefully into a new economic era defined by stronger industries, better infrastructure, and a steadily growing middle class. We detail these recommendations in our paper Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012. Here are the federal highlights.
To generate a significant percentage of energy in our nation from low-carbon sources, Congress can: Extend the production tax credit for wind power page 8 Extend the Section 1603 Treasury Cash Grant Program page 9 Eliminate barriers in the investment tax credit program for projects in combined heat and power, waste-heat recovery, and offshore wind energy page 10

To realize significant energy savings in all sectors of our economy, Congress can: Increase commercial building retrofits by improving the energy-efficient commercial buildings deduction page 32 Enact new consensus appliance standards into law page 33 Create a green real estate appraisal standard to ensure that energy costs are included in mortgage underwriting page 34 Encourage adoption of model building codes by states page 34 To achieve oil savings, Congress can: Pass a surface transportation bill that prioritizes funding for public transportation and transitoriented development page 53 Enable federal agencies to finance advanced biofuels production for the U.S. military page 53 To ensure climate resiliency and restoration, Congress can: Restore the environment and economy of the Gulf Coast page 57

These sets of actions can be taken this year to boost clean energy, combat climate change, improve jobs growth, and promote our nations energy security. We dont need to wait.

Center for American Progress | Taking Action on Clean Energy and Climate Protection in 2012