Title: Clean Economy Act of 2020
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Clean Economy Act of 2020
This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt and implement a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the United States with the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3269 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3269

To set and meet a national goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 
              not later than 2050, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 2020

 Mr. Carper (for himself, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
  Booker, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez 
   Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
 Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Leahy, 
   Mr. Menendez, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Peters, Ms. Rosen, Mr. 
Schatz, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Udall, 
  Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment 
                            and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To set and meet a national goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 
              not later than 2050, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Economy Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY NOT LATER THAN 2050.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Anthropogenic.--The term ``anthropogenic'', with 
        respect to greenhouse gas, means emissions and removals that 
        are--
                    (A) the direct result of human activities; or
                    (B) the result of natural processes that have been 
                affected by human activities.
            (3) Net-zero emissions.--The term ``net-zero emissions'' 
        means that, on an annual basis with respect to the United 
        States, the quantity of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted 
        by sources does not exceed the quantity of anthropogenic sinks 
        of greenhouse gases, as calculated by the Administrator using 
        methodologies that are consistent with the recommendations in 
        the document of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 
        entitled ``2019 Refinement to the 2006 Guidelines for National 
        Greenhouse Gas Inventories'' (or any successor guidelines or 
        refinements).
    (b) Plan for Reduction of Emissions.--The Administrator, acting 
pursuant to existing authorities under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7401 et seq.) and other existing authorities of the Administrator, 
shall adopt and implement a plan--
            (1) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the United 
        States that puts the United States on a pathway to achieve net-
        zero emissions by not later than 2050; and
            (2) to achieve the interim targets established pursuant to 
        subsection (c)(1)(C).
    (c) Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--The plan under subsection (b) shall--
                    (A) achieve rapid greenhouse gas emission 
                reductions, based on the best available science, to 
                protect public health and welfare from the effects of 
                climate change;
                    (B) be designed--
                            (i) to build on and reinforce progress by 
                        States, units of local government, and the 
                        private sector to reduce greenhouse gas 
                        emissions;
                            (ii) to maximize greenhouse gas emission 
                        reductions while minimizing economic costs;
                            (iii) to reduce and minimize pollution and 
                        cumulative environmental effects in 
                        economically distressed communities, 
                        communities of color, and indigenous 
                        communities, which are often disproportionately 
                        burdened by air, water, and land pollution and 
                        climate risks;
                            (iv) to maximize the nationwide deployment 
                        of existing and emerging technologies to reduce 
                        greenhouse gas emissions, including--
                                    (I) low- and zero-greenhouse gas 
                                electricity, transportation, and 
                                building technologies;
                                    (II) methane capture and 
                                destruction technologies; and
                                    (III) carbon capture, utilization, 
                                and sequestration technologies and 
                                practices, including direct air 
                                capture;
                            (v) to prevent domestic carbon leakage;
                            (vi) to maximize flexibility in reducing 
                        greenhouse gas emissions for entities subject 
                        to regulation under this section;
                            (vii) to minimize costs of greenhouse gas 
                        emission reductions to consumers, particularly 
                        consumers from low-income households;
                            (viii) to prioritize infrastructure 
                        investments that--
                                    (I) reduce emissions of greenhouse 
                                gases and other pollutants;
                                    (II) make communities more 
                                resilient to the effects of climate 
                                change; and
                                    (III) use domestic labor and 
                                domestic content, promote job creation 
                                and job growth, and benefit workers and 
                                communities by utilizing project labor 
                                agreements and community benefit 
                                agreements;
                            (ix) to support early investments and job 
                        creation in energy efficiency and net-zero 
                        emissions technologies--
                                    (I) in low-income communities and 
                                communities of color; and
                                    (II) that reduce greenhouse gas 
                                emissions from--
                                            (aa) the transportation 
                                        sector;
                                            (bb) commercial buildings 
                                        and homes, including 
                                        multifamily homes; and
                                            (cc) the industrial sector;
                            (x) to help address closed, abandoned, or 
                        underutilized industrial sites and other 
                        sources of legacy pollution, particularly in 
                        low-income communities and communities of 
                        color, and assist with remediation and 
                        reclamation of those sites;
                            (xi) to help ensure that communities are 
                        more resilient to the effects of climate 
                        change, particularly with respect to the 
                        ability of communities to provide safe drinking 
                        water and other essential public services in 
                        the event of extreme weather events and other 
                        consequences of climate change;
                            (xii) to minimize impacts on, and provide 
                        assistance to, communities and workers that are 
                        affected by changes in national energy and 
                        industrial practices that may result from 
                        achieving net-zero emissions by not later than 
                        2050; and
                            (xiii) to include any other actions, as 
                        determined to be appropriate by the 
                        Administrator--
                                    (I) to mitigate the effects of 
                                climate change; and
                                    (II) to help ensure the health, 
                                safety, and livability of all 
                                communities;
                    (C) include, for each of the years 2025, 2030, and 
                2040, interim greenhouse gas reduction targets that the 
                Administrator determines will put the United States on 
                a pathway to achieve net-zero emissions by not later 
                than 2050;
                    (D) include equity treatment and meaningful 
                involvement of minority populations, low-income 
                populations, Indian Tribes, and indigenous peoples in 
                the development, implementation, and enforcement of the 
                plan; and
                    (E) ensure that all laborers and mechanics employed 
                by contractors or subcontractors in the performance of 
                construction, alteration, or repair work assisted or 
                supported by the plan are paid wages at rates not less 
                than those prevailing on similar construction, 
                alteration, or repair work in the locality as 
                determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with 
                subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States 
                Code.
            (2) Implementation deadline.--The Administrator shall, 
        after public notice and comment, adopt and begin the 
        implementation of the plan under subsection (b) not later than 
        1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
            (3) Authority.--With respect to the labor standards 
        specified in paragraph (1)(E), the Secretary of Labor shall 
        have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization 
        Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. App.) and 
        section 3145 of title 40, United States Code.
    (d) Rulemakings.--The Administrator shall promulgate regulations to 
carry out this section as the Administrator determines to be necessary.
    (e) Actions by Other Federal Agencies.--
            (1) In general.--In coordination with the Administrator, 
        the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of the Interior, the 
        Secretary of Labor, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
        Economic Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, the 
        Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of 
        Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Chairperson of the 
        Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the 
        Administrator of General Services, the Administrator of the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the heads 
        of Federal regional commissions shall assist with the 
        implementation of the plan under subsection (b) by taking 
        actions using existing authorities of those heads of agencies.
            (2) Minimum actions.--At a minimum, the actions required 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) bolster the ability of the United States to 
                reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve economic 
                competitiveness by ensuring a robust, skilled, and 
                well-prepared domestic workforce through equitable 
                access to worker training programs in low- and zero-
                greenhouse gas technologies and processes (including 
                technologies and processes that reduce or sequester 
                greenhouse gas emissions), including for underemployed, 
                unemployed, displaced, or dislocated workers, with an 
                emphasis on programs that include collectively 
                bargained programs, Registered Apprenticeships that 
                meet the requirements under parts 29 and 30 of title 
                29, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
                December 1, 2019), historically Black colleges and 
                universities, land-grant colleges and universities, 
                Tribal colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving 
                institutions, community colleges, and union training 
                centers;
                    (B) invest in research, development, and deployment 
                of low- and zero-greenhouse gas technologies and 
                processes (including technologies and processes that 
                reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions)--
                            (i) to ensure that the United States 
                        continues to be a leader in those technologies 
                        and processes; and
                            (ii) to encourage new growth in domestic 
                        industries and sectors that address climate 
                        change (and associated supply chains);
                    (C) achieve net-zero emissions by not later than 
                2050 to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with 
                applicable Federal law in a manner that--
                            (i) removes policy barriers to labor union 
                        organizing; and
                            (ii) applies mandatory labor standards, 
                        including prevailing wages, safety, and health 
                        protections;
                    (D) incentivize reforestation, farming, and other 
                land management practices on farms, on ranches, and in 
                forests that--
                            (i) improve soil health or sequester 
                        carbon; and
                            (ii) increase resiliency of farms and 
                        ecosystems to the effects of climate change;
                    (E) encourage the restoration of ecosystems (such 
                as forests, wetlands, grasslands, and aquatic systems), 
                particularly on Federal and Tribal land, that--
                            (i) sequester carbon; and
                            (ii) improve climate resilience; and
                    (F) include other actions as appropriate to 
                mitigate the effects of climate change.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2020 through 2050.
                                 <all>