Climate Solutions Act of 2015

Summary: Climate Solutions Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 by directing the Department of Energy (DOE) to promulgate regulations that require the percentage of electric energy generated from renewable sources that is sold at the retail level to increase each year beginning in 2020 so that in 2050 and each subsequent year, the percentage is at least 80%. DOE must also promulgate regulations that set cumulative energy savings targets for retail electric energy and natural gas suppliers that require each supplier to secure annual savings that are achieved through end-use efficiency improvements at customer facilities. For electric energy suppliers, the targets must increase from .25% of sales in 2018 to 1.5% of sales in 2023 and each year thereafter through 2028. For natural gas suppliers, the target must increase from .25% of sales in 2018 to .5% of sales in 2023 and each year thereafter through 2028. DOE must allow suppliers to achieve the targets through a market-based trading system.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must promulgate annual emission reduction targets for each of 2030 through 2050 to ensure that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions: (1) in 2035 are at least 40% below those in 1990, and (2) in 2050 are at least 80% below those in 1990. The EPA must promulgate final regulations to implement those targets within 7 years and review them at least every 5 years thereafter.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Solutions Act of 2015''.

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 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 2C (3.6F) above 
        preindustrial temperature, much of which is already projected 
        to occur by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
            (3) The risks associated with a temperature increase above 
        2C (3.6F) 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) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects 
        that temperatures will rise between 1.8C to 4.0C (3.2F to 
        7.2F) by the end of the century, under a range of expected 
        emissions trends, but if there are common goals to limit 
        greenhouse gas emissions, the temperature increase can be 
        limited to 2C (3.6F) or less.
            (5) 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.
            (6) 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.
            (7) Decisive action is needed to minimize the many dangers 
        posed by global warming.
            (8) The timing of such action is critical, given that 
        greenhouse gases can persist in the atmosphere for more than a 
        century.
            (9) The International Energy Agency has warned in its most 
        recent World Energy Outlook report that, unless there is a 
        serious commitment to investing in zero carbon renewable energy 
        resources, much of the amount of projected limits necessary to 
        avoid greenhouse-gas-emission-caused dangerous anthropogenic 
        interference with the climate system will be locked in and 
        exceeded.
            (10) PricewaterhouseCoopers Low Carbon Economy Index Report 
        estimates that carbon-based fuel use needs to be reduced 6.5 
        percent per year through the year 2100, nearly six times the 
        current rate, to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference 
        with the climate system.
            (11) With only 5 percent of the world population, the 
        United States emits approximately 20 percent of the world's 
        total greenhouse gas emissions and must be a leader in 
        addressing global warming.
            (12) The State of California, the 8th 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.
            (13) 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 United States 
participation in agreements 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 (16 
U.S.C. 824a-4 et seq.) 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;
            ``(2) in calendar year 2030 and each subsequent calendar 
        year, such percentage shall be not less than 40 percent of the 
        total electric energy sold at the retail level in the United 
        States; and
            ``(3) in calendar year 2050 and each subsequent calendar 
        year, such percentage shall not be less than 80 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) Subsequent Increases.--Upon petition or upon the Secretary's 
own initiative, the Secretary may increase the percentage required by 
subsection (a)(2).
    ``(d) 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.

    Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 
U.S.C. 824a-4 et seq.), as amended by section 101 of this Act, is 
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 2018 
                to 1.5 percent of sales in 2023 and each year 
                thereafter through 2028; and
                    ``(B) for retail natural gas suppliers shall 
                increase gradually from 0.25 percent of sales in 2018 
                to 0.5 percent of sales in 2023 and each year 
                thereafter through 2028.
            ``(4) The targets are cumulative. Each year's savings shall 
        be achieved in addition to the previous years' savings.
    ``(d) Required Percentages After 2028.--The Secretary may, upon 
petition or upon the Secretary's own initiative, increase the required 
percentage of end-user savings for years after 2028.
    ``(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.''.

                  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 regulation 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.