Climate Solutions Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.6351 | Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted (D-CA)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Climate Solutions Act of 2021
This bill establishes renewable energy standards, energy saving targets, and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Specifically, the Department of Energy (DOE) must promulgate regulations to increase the percentage of electricity sold in the United States that is generated from renewable sources. By 2035, 100% of electricity must be generated from renewable sources.
DOE must also promulgate regulations that set end-user electricity savings targets for retail electric energy suppliers and natural gas saving targets for retail natural gas suppliers through 2030 as specified by the bill. Each year's savings must be in addition to the previous years' savings. DOE must allow suppliers to achieve the targets through a market-based trading system.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must promulgate annual net emission reduction targets from 2030 through 2050 to ensure that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (1) in 2035 are at least 52% below those in 2005, and (2) in 2050 are zero. The EPA must promulgate final regulations to implement those targets within seven years and review them at least every five years thereafter.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Climate Solutions 
Act of 2021''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
                       TITLE I--RENEWABLE ENERGY

Sec. 101. National renewable energy standard.
                      TITLE II--ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Sec. 201. National energy efficiency standard.
                  TITLE III--SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS

Sec. 301. Net emissions reduction targets.
Sec. 302. National Academies review.
Sec. 303. Regulations.
Sec. 304. Savings clause.
Sec. 305. Definitions.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    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 as demonstrated 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 by 2100 consistent with the Paris 
        Agreement that entered into force in 2016.
            (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) A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
        Change demonstrated that limiting the temperature increase to 
        1.5C will result in still harmful, but significantly less 
        severe outcomes than a 2C increase.
            (5) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects 
        that temperatures will rise 1.5C between 2030 and 2052. In 
        order to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C, global net 
        anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions must reach net zero by 
        2050.
            (6) The 2018 National Climate Assessment, authored by more 
        than 300 experts and released by the United States Global 
        Change Research Program, makes clear that the present 
        unprecedented rises in global temperature are primarily due to 
        human activities. The changing climate will devastate all 
        sectors of society and disproportionately harm the most 
        vulnerable communities.
            (7) 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.
            (8) Scientists project that under a midrange estimate of 
        global warming, by 2050, roughly one-third of animal and plant 
        species will be committed to extinction.
            (9) After remaining steady from 2014 to 2016, global carbon 
        dioxide emissions increased 1.4 percent in 2017.
            (10) Decisive action is needed to minimize the many dangers 
        posed by global warming.
            (11) The timing of such action is critical, given that 
        greenhouse gases can persist in the atmosphere for more than a 
        century.
            (12) With less than 5 percent of the world population, the 
        United States emits approximately 15 percent of the world's 
        total greenhouse gas emissions and must be a leader in 
        addressing global warming.
            (13) The State of California, the 5th 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.
            (14) 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.

                       TITLE I--RENEWABLE ENERGY

SEC. 101. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD.

    Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 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 2022, the percentage of 
        electric energy generated from renewable sources that is sold 
        at the retail level in the United States shall increase each 
        year; and
            ``(2) in calendar year 2035 and each subsequent calendar 
        year, such percentage shall not be less than 100 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) 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.

    (a) In General.--Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies 
Act of 1978, as amended by section 101 of this Act, is further 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--
            ``(1) electricity savings targets for retail electric 
        energy suppliers; and
            ``(2) natural gas savings targets for retail 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 retail electric energy 
        supplier to secure annual electricity savings, and each retail 
        natural gas supplier to secure annual natural gas savings, of a 
        set percentage of the quantity of electricity or natural gas 
        sold in the most recent year to retail customers.
            ``(2) The electricity savings and natural gas savings shall 
        be achieved through end-use efficiency improvements at customer 
        facilities.
            ``(3) The targets are cumulative. Each year's electricity 
        savings or natural gas savings shall be achieved in addition to 
        the previous years' savings.
            ``(4) For each of calendar years 2022 through 2030, the 
        targets are as follows:


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Cumulative Electricity  Cumulative Natural Gas
    ``Calendar Year         Savings Percentage      Savings Percentage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2022                    0.375                    0.25
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2023                    1.125                    0.60
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2024                     2.25                    1.05
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2025                     3.75                    1.55
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2026                     5.25                    2.05
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2027                     6.75                    2.55
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2028                     8.25                    3.05
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2029                     9.75                    3.55
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 2030                    11.25                    4.05
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ``(d) Required Percentages After 2030.--The Secretary may, upon 
petition or upon the Secretary's own initiative, increase the required 
percentage of end-user electricity savings or natural gas savings for 
years after 2030.
    ``(e) Market-Based Trading System.--The Secretary shall allow 
suppliers to achieve the required percentage of end-user electricity 
savings or natural gas savings under this section 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.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for the Public 
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 608 the following:

``Sec. 609. Rural and remote communities electrification grants.
``Sec. 610. National renewable energy standard.
``Sec. 611. National energy efficiency standard.''.

                  TITLE III--SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS

SEC. 301. NET EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGETS.

    Not later than 1 year 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 net 
emissions reduction targets for each of calendar years 2030 through 
2050, so as to ensure that the quantity of United States net greenhouse 
gas emissions--
            (1) in 2035, is at least 52 percent below the quantity of 
        such emissions in 2005; and
            (2) in 2050, is zero.

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 net emissions reduction targets 
        promulgated pursuant to section 301 and the other policies to 
        reduce United States net 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 anthropogenic 
        interference with the climate system, 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 
        anthropogenic interference with the climate system--
                    (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 net 
        emissions 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 regulations as necessary to 
                implement such net emissions 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 requirements to reduce United 
States net greenhouse gas emissions 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 net greenhouse gas emissions.--The term 
        ``United States net greenhouse gas emissions'' means net 
        greenhouse gas emissions, as calculated by the Administrator on 
        an annual basis and reported to the United Nations Framework 
        Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.
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