I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 330 

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 8, 2019 

Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself, Mr. GOMEZ, Ms. LEE of California, 

Ms. DELAURO, and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Climate Solutions Act of 2019’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Findings; sense of Congress. 

TITLE I—RENEWABLE ENERGY 

Sec. 101. National renewable energy standard. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 330 IH

TITLE II—ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Sec. 201. National energy efficiency standard. 

TITLE III—SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS 

Sec. 301. Emission reduction targets. 

Sec. 302. National academies review. 

Sec. 303. Regulations. 

Sec. 304. Savings clause. 

Sec. 305. Definitions. 

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

2 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows: 

3 (1) The United States has the objective of sta4 bilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmos5 phere at a level that would prevent ‘‘dangerous an6 thropogenic interference’’ with the climate system as 

7 demonstrated by becoming a party to the 1992 

8 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate 

9 Change, pledging to China to reduce greenhouse gas 

10 emissions to 28 percent of their 2005 levels by 2025, 

11 and regulating greenhouse gas emissions from sta12 tionary sources, mobile sources, and electrical power 

13 suppliers. 

14 (2) To achieve this objective, the increase in 

15 global mean surface temperature should not exceed 

16 2°C (3.6°F) above preindustrial temperature by 

17 2100 consistent with the Paris Agreement that en18 tered into force in 2016. 

19 (3) The risks associated with a temperature in20 crease above 2°C (3.6°F) are grave, including the 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 330 IH

1 disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet, which, if 

2 it were to melt completely, would raise global aver3 age sea level by approximately 23 feet, devastating 

4 many of the world’s coastal areas and population 

5 centers. 

6 (4) A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental 

7 Panel on Climate Change demonstrated that limiting 

8 the temperature increase to 1.5°C will result in still 

9 harmful, but significantly less severe outcomes than 

10 a 2°C increase. 

11 (5) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 

12 Change projects that temperatures will rise 1.5°C 

13 between 2030 and 2052. In order to limit the tem14 perature increase to 1.5°C, global net anthropogenic 

15 carbon dioxide emissions must reach net zero by 

16 2050. 

17 (6) The 2018 National Climate Assessment, au18 thored by more than 300 experts and released by the 

19 United States Global Change Research Program, 

20 makes clear that the present unprecedented rises in 

21 global temperature are primarily due to human ac22 tivities. The changing climate will devastate all sec23 tors of society and disproportionately harm the most 

24 vulnerable communities. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 330 IH

1 (7) Serious global warming impacts have al2 ready been observed in the United States and world3 wide, including— 

4 (A) increases in heat waves and other ex5 treme weather events; 

6 (B) rise in sea level, retreat of glaciers and 

7 polar ice; 

8 (C) decline in mountain snowpack, in9 creased drought (including droughts in the 

10 West and South United States) resulting in 

11 damage to our economy and property; 

12 (D) extreme weather conditions resulting 

13 in wildfires, stronger hurricanes, and polar vor14 tex occurrences resulting in further damage to 

15 property and our economy; 

16 (E) damage to our environment such as 

17 ocean acidification, extensive coral bleaching, 

18 migrations, and shifts in the yearly cycles of 

19 plants and animals; and 

20 (F) effects on human population, including 

21 population displacement and adverse health ef22 fects such as the spread of infectious diseases 

23 and climate-related conditions such as asthma. 

24 (8) Scientists project that under a midrange es25 timate of global warming, by 2050, roughly 25 perVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H330.IH H330

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 330 IH

1 cent of animal and plant species will be committed 

2 to extinction. 

3 (9) After remaining steady from 2014 to 2016, 

4 global carbon dioxide emissions increased 1.6 per5 cent in 2017. 

6 (10) Decisive action is needed to minimize the 

7 many dangers posed by global warming. 

8 (11) The timing of such action is critical, given 

9 that greenhouse gases can persist in the atmosphere 

10 for more than a century. 

11 (12) With less than 5 percent of the world pop12 ulation, the United States emits approximately 15 

13 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions 

14 and must be a leader in addressing global warming. 

15 (13) The State of California, the 5th largest 

16 economy in the world, has shown that renewable en17 ergy standards and greenhouse gas emissions regula18 tion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while fos19 tering significant economic growth. 

20 (14) Existing energy efficiency and clean, re21 newable energy technologies can reduce global warm22 ing pollution, while saving consumers money, reduc23 ing our dependence on oil, enhancing national secu24 rity, cleaning the air, and protecting pristine places 

25 from drilling and mining. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 330 IH

1 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the 

2 Congress that the United States should participate in ne3 gotiations under the 1992 United Nations Framework 

4 Convention on Climate Change and honor its commit5 ments therefrom with the objective of securing and con6 tinuing United States participation in agreements, includ7 ing the Paris Agreement that the United States accepted 

8 on September 3, 2016, and took effect on November 4, 

9 2016, that— 

10 (1) establish mitigation commitments by all 

11 countries that are major emitters of greenhouse 

12 gases, consistent with the principle of common but 

13 differentiated responsibilities; 

14 (2) achieve reductions in global greenhouse gas 

15 emissions at a pace and level sufficient to avoid dan16 gerous interference with the Earth’s climate; and 

17 (3) advance and protect the economic and na18 tional security interests of the United States. 

19 TITLE I—RENEWABLE ENERGY 

20 SEC. 101. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD. 

21 Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act 

22 of 1978 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘SEC. 610. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD. 

24 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate 

25 regulations requiring that— 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 330 IH

1 ‘‘(1) beginning in calendar year 2020, the per2 centage of electric energy generated from renewable 

3 sources that is sold at the retail level in the United 

4 States shall increase each year; and 

5 ‘‘(2) in calendar year 2035 and each subse6 quent calendar year, such percentage shall not be 

7 less than 100 percent of the total electric energy 

8 sold at the retail level in the United States. 

9 ‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 

10 this section in consultation with the Administrator of the 

11 Environmental Protection Agency. 

12 ‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec13 tion shall be construed to preempt or limit State actions 

14 to enhance renewable energy generation or energy effi15 ciency.’’. 

16 TITLE II—ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

17 SEC. 201. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title VI of the Public Utility Reg19 ulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended by section 101 

20 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 

21 following: 

22 ‘‘SEC. 611. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD. 

23 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate 

24 regulations in accordance with this section setting endVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H330.IH H330

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 330 IH

1 user savings targets for retail electric energy and natural 

2 gas suppliers. 

3 ‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 

4 this section in consultation with the Administrator of the 

5 Environmental Protection Agency. 

6 ‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.—With respect to targets under 

7 subsection (a): 

8 ‘‘(1) The targets shall require each supplier to 

9 secure annual savings of a set percentage of the sup10 plier’s most recent year’s sales to retail customers. 

11 ‘‘(2) The savings shall be achieved through end12 use efficiency improvements at customer facilities. 

13 ‘‘(3) The targets— 

14 ‘‘(A) for retail electric energy suppliers 

15 shall increase gradually from 0.25 percent of 

16 sales in 2020 to 1.5 percent of sales in 2025 

17 and each year thereafter through 2030; and 

18 ‘‘(B) for retail natural gas suppliers shall 

19 increase gradually from 0.25 percent of sales in 

20 2020 to 0.5 percent of sales in 2025 and each 

21 year thereafter through 2030. 

22 ‘‘(4) The targets are cumulative. Each year’s 

23 savings shall be achieved in addition to the previous 

24 years’ savings. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 330 IH

1 ‘‘(d) REQUIRED PERCENTAGES AFTER 2030.—The 

2 Secretary may, upon petition or upon the Secretary’s own 

3 initiative, increase the required percentage of end-user 

4 savings for years after 2030. 

5 ‘‘(e) MARKET-BASED TRADING SYSTEM.—The Sec6 retary shall allow suppliers to achieve the targets under 

7 subsection (a) through a market-based trading system. 

8 ‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec9 tion shall be construed to preempt or limit State actions 

10 to enhance renewable energy generation or energy effi11 ciency.’’. 

12 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con13 tents for the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 

14 1978 is amended by inserting after the item relating to 

15 section 608 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 609. Rural and remote communities electrification grants. 

‘‘Sec. 610. National renewable energy standard. 

‘‘Sec. 611. National energy efficiency standard.’’. 

16 TITLE III—SCIENCE-BASED 

17 REDUCTIONS 

18 SEC. 301. EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS. 

19 Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

20 of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Pro21 tection Agency (in this title referred to as the ‘‘Adminis22 trator’’) shall promulgate annual emission reduction tar23 gets for each of calendar years 2030 through 2050, so as 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 330 IH

1 to ensure that the quantity of United States greenhouse 

2 gas emissions— 

3 (1) in 2035, is at least 40 percent below the 

4 quantity of such emissions in 1990; and 

5 (2) in 2050, is at least 80 percent below the 

6 quantity of such emissions in 1990. 

7 SEC. 302. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REVIEW. 

8 Not later than 5 years after the date of the enact9 ment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Admin10 istrator shall enter into an arrangement with the National 

11 Academies (or, if the National Academies decline to enter 

12 into such arrangement, another appropriate entity) under 

13 which the National Academies, acting through the Na14 tional Academy of Sciences and the National Research 

15 Council, will submit a report to the Administrator and the 

16 Congress on the prospects for avoiding dangerous anthro17 pogenic interference with the climate system and the 

18 progress made to date. Each such report shall— 

19 (1) evaluate whether the emission reduction tar20 gets promulgated pursuant to section 301 and the 

21 policies to reduce United States greenhouse gas 

22 emissions under this Act, the amendments made by 

23 this Act, and other provisions of law, including the 

24 Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), are likely 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 330 IH

1 to be sufficient to avoid dangerous climate change, 

2 taking into account the actions of other nations; and 

3 (2) if the National Academies concludes that 

4 such targets and policies are not likely to be suffi5 cient to avoid dangerous climate change— 

6 (A) identify the needed amount of further 

7 reductions in atmospheric greenhouse gas con8 centrations; and 

9 (B) recommend additional United States 

10 and international actions to further reduce at11 mospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. 

12 SEC. 303. REGULATIONS. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall— 

14 (1) not later than 7 years after the date of en15 actment of this Act, promulgate final regulations to 

16 implement the emission reduction targets under sec17 tion 301; and 

18 (2) not less than every 5 years thereafter— 

19 (A) review such regulations, taking into ac20 count the reports under section 302; and 

21 (B) revise such regulations as necessary to 

22 implement such emission reduction targets. 

23 (b) RULEMAKING ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF NA24 TIONAL ACADEMIES.—If any report under section 302 in25 cludes a recommendation under section 302(2)(B) for regVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H330.IH H330

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 330 IH

1 ulatory action by a Federal department or agency, and 

2 such regulatory action is within the authority of such de3 partment or agency (under law other than this sub4 section), the head of such department or agency shall, not 

5 later than 2 years after the submission of such report, fi6 nalize a rulemaking— 

7 (1) to carry out such regulatory action; or 

8 (2) to explain the reasons for declining to act. 

9 (c) ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS.—The regulations 

10 promulgated under subsection (a) may include additional 

11 regulations to reduce emissions of United States green12 house gases from any source or sector. Any such regula13 tions that address sources whose greenhouse gas emissions 

14 are regulated pursuant to section 111(d) of the Clean Air 

15 Act (42 U.S.C. 7411(d)) shall account for the compliance 

16 schedule promulgated pursuant to such section 111(d). 

17 Regulations under this section may include market-based 

18 measures, emissions performance standards, efficiency 

19 performance standards, best management practices, tech20 nology-based requirements, and other forms of require21 ments. 

22 (d) RELATION TO OTHER AUTHORITY.—The author23 ity vested by this title is in addition to the authority to 

24 regulate greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to other pro25 visions of law. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
13 

•HR 330 IH

1 SEC. 304. SAVINGS CLAUSE. 

2 Nothing in this title shall be interpreted to preempt 

3 or limit State actions to address climate change. 

4 SEC. 305. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this title: 

6 (1) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 

7 gas’’ means— 

8 (A) carbon dioxide; 

9 (B) methane; 

10 (C) nitrous oxide; 

11 (D) hydrofluorocarbons; 

12 (E) perfluorocarbons; 

13 (F) sulfur hexafluoride; or 

14 (G) any other anthropogenically emitted 

15 gas that is determined by the Administrator, 

16 after notice and comment, to contribute to glob17 al warming to a non-negligible degree. 

18 (2) UNITED STATES GREENHOUSE GAS EMIS19 SIONS.—The term ‘‘United States greenhouse gas 

20 emissions’’ means the total quantity of greenhouse 

21 gas emissions calculated by the Administrator on an 

22 annual basis and reported to the United Nations 

23 Framework Convention on Climate Change Secre24 tariat. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS