Pallone Highlights Build Back Better Act's Historic Investments to Combat the Climate Crisis and Protect Environment

Press Release

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today held a press conference with local environmental advocates to highlight how the Build Back Better Act that passed the House last week will help fight the climate crisis and protect the environment. The Build Back Better Act makes historic investments in the fight against the climate crisis by investing $555 billion in clean energy including offshore wind, creating a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, and establishing a Methane Emissions Reduction Program.

The Build Back Better Act provides historic, long-term investments to position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy economy and to reduce the risks and costs of climate-fueled extreme weather and wildfires. To meet President Biden's goal of reducing U.S. carbon emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030, the Build Back Better Act invests over $320 billion in renewable energy and energy efficiency tax incentives that will move us toward a clean economy and create thousands of new jobs.

Pallone is the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which spearheaded key provisions to combat the climate crisis, including a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to support the rapid deployment of low- and zero-emission technologies, a Methane Emissions Reduction Program to immediately reduce methane pollution from petroleum and natural gas systems, home energy efficiency and appliance electrification rebates to reduce energy usage and lower consumers' energy bills, and $5 billion to replace certain heavy-duty vehicles, including trash trucks and school buses.

The Build Back Better Act will protect the environment by permanently banning new offshore oil and gas leasing along the Atlantic Coast, Pacific Coast, and Eastern Gulf of Mexico. It provides $6 billion to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for projects that conserve, restore, and protect coastal and marine habitats to increase climate resilience of coastal communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the Build Back Better Act together force corporate polluters to clean up toxic sites, not taxpayers, by reinstating the Superfund Tax.

"We know the climate crisis is here and that coastal states like New Jersey are on the frontlines. I'm pleased this bill will help New Jersey protect the environment. With my proposal for a permanent ban on offshore drilling along the Atlantic Coast and the bill's $6 billion investment in coastal resiliency that's modeled after my Living Shorelines Act, the Build Back Better Act will ensure we have the tools in place to protect our state's environment for generations to come. The bill also holds corporate polluters accountable by forcing them to pay for the cleanup toxic Superfund sites, not taxpayers," Pallone said. "The Build Back Better Act also aggressively tackles the worsening crisis by making historic investments to move us toward a clean energy economy while also producing millions of good paying American jobs. We simply cannot wait any longer to combat the climate crisis."

The Build Back Better Act also includes an additional $10 billion for the full replace of lead services lines in drinking systems throughout the country. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill included an initial $15 billion.

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