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Levin in Axios: “[This is] the Democratic vision, the consensus vision that gets at the real problems facing clean energy.”
This week, Mike Levin unveiled The Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act, a leap forward in climate policy set to change the debate about the nation’s energy system.
Introduced by Levin and Sean Casten, the bill – which would let the government more directly incentivize transmission projects – reflects Levin’s commitment to expanding renewable energy infrastructure nationwide.
Rep. Levin is taking action to ensure that California communities are involved in solving the climate issues they are facing and directly benefiting from federal initiatives.
Read more below:
E&E News: House Democrats unveil green transmission bill
Emma Dumain, Kelsey Brugger | December 13, 2023
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Two of the House’s biggest clean energy enthusiasts Wednesday dropped their long-anticipated pitch on transmission in a bid to coalesce Democrats around a landmark permitting plan to accelerate renewable energy development.
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The bill from Democratic Reps. Sean Casten of Illinois and Mike Levin of California would ease transmission build-out, expand renewable energy and fix the country’s jumbled electricity system.
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And with 76 original cosponsors representing both the progressive and more moderate factions of the House Democratic Caucus, the authors of the “Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act” hope they can credibly claim their bill is their party’s “consensus” legislative package on energy policy.
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Their legislation, which Casten said was a “tentpost on what is Democratic energy policy,” bundles new proposals with bills that have been previously introduced and vetted.
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It would force the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure that utilities account for greenhouse gas emissions when setting rates. It would also boost the commission’s authority to improve transmission lines that span multiple states.
Bloomberg: House Democrats Plant Flag on Transmission, Clean Energy in 2024
Kellie Lunney | December 13, 2023
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House Democrats plan Wednesday to unveil their alternative to Republicans’ domestic energy agenda: a proposal aimed at putting clean-energy projects on a fast track and building more transmission lines nationwide.
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The legislation crafted by Democratic Reps. Sean Casten (Ill.) and Mike Levin (Calif.) would update electricity rate-making to incentivize utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission siting authority for major interstate transmission lines, and ensure that local communities benefit from transmission-line projects.
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It would also create a 30% transmission investment tax credit and a revenue-sharing arrangement benefiting states that support more renewable energy production on federal lands and waters.
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Casten on Tuesday said he and Levin wanted to file the legislation before the end of the year so they could be prepared with a game plan on transmission when the opportunity arises.
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“This is the right way to do permitting reform,” said Christy Goldfuss, chief policy impact officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Too many want to steamroll communities and have these new projects repeat the environmental injustices of our past. That’s a dead-end road.”
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Demands on the electricity grid continue to grow due to expansion of data centers with the rise in artificial intelligence, greater electrification of transportation and buildings, and more frequent and severe extreme weather.
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The Casten-Levin bill specifically seeks to empower communities to provide more frequent and substantive input into energy projects that affect their areas, including the build-out of transmission lines.
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Casten and Levin spent months lobbying their Democratic colleagues to offer feedback and support the final bill they will introduce today after circulating a draft bill in the spring.
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The final legislation has more than 70 cosponsors and includes ideas from more than a dozen stand-alone bills.
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The two Democrats had extensive experience working in the energy field before their arrival in Congress, with Casten running clean energy companies and Levin working as an environmental attorney.
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“It’s important we have a Democratic consensus position on clean energy,” Levin said on Tuesday.
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The lawmakers have said their bill will help realize the goals of President Joe Biden’s sweeping 2022 climate law (Public Law 117-169).
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