WASHINGTON, D.C.—Key Democratic leaders have struck a historic deal to lower energy bills and address the climate crisis with the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 - which aims to reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030 and provide much needed relief on energy costs for families. In response to the announcement, 62 climate, building decarbonization, energy, health and affordable housing organizations released the following joint statement:

“Our groups welcome the introduction of the Inflation Reduction Act for its historic climate investments. As our communities face extreme heat, drought, wildfires, storms and flooding — it’s clear that the climate crisis and public health emergency is already upon us, and these investments set to decarbonize our buildings and homes are coming not a moment too soon.

“Provisions included in this bill will help address inflation, lower household energy costs, and improve our energy security with efficiency and electrification upgrades for homes and buildings —starting with disadvantaged communities first — so that they can run 100% renewable energy.

“The bill will also create good-paying clean energy jobs by strengthening the supply chain and accelerating the adoption of clean energy technologies like electric heat pumps through incentives that include tax credits and rebates. As a highly efficient technology, heat pumps — which provide both heating and cooling — can reduce household energy costs, and widespread adoption of the technology can reduce strain on the electric grid during extreme heat events.

“We also recognize that unfortunately — to secure the support required to pass the legislation — the bill includes some support for the continued production of fossil fuels on public lands and waters. Despite this, the bill gets many things right, and our groups celebrate much needed investments in a clean energy transition and to communities in need. The bill supports a just, equitable transition to healthier homes with incentives and rebates for efficient electric appliances like air- and ground-source heat pumps and heat pump water heaters as well as efficiency upgrades like insulation and air sealing for low- and moderate-income households.

“Today, our groups celebrate these critical investments and encourage the swift passage of this package to secure healthier homes, address inflation, lower energy costs for households and begin to build a more just, equitable world.”

ACES 4 Youth American Sustainable Business Network Association for Energy Affordability Aztech Geothermal, LLC BeniSol, LLC BlocPower Bread From Heaven Ministries International Building Decarbonization Coalition Capital Good Fund CLASP Climate + Energy Project Climate Changemakers Climate Hawks Vote Climate Reality Project - Capital Region, NY Chapter Climate Reality Project - Finger Lakes Greater Region NY Chapter Climate Reality Project - NY State Chapters Coalition Climate Reality Project - NYC Chapter Climate Reality Project - Westchester County Chapter Climate Reality Project - Western New York Chapter ClimateVoice, a project of the Tides Center Conservation Law Foundation Consumer Federation of America Dandelion Energy Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy Drawdown Labs Dream.Org Green For All Earthjustice EarthKind Energy Consulting East Bay Clean Energy Elevate Energy Solutions Environment America Fresh Energy Geothermal Exchange Organization Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Hispanic Federation HousingLOUISIANA Invest in America Local Initiatives Support Corporation Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition National Housing Trust New Buildings Institute (NBI) New York Solar Energy Society NRDC NY-GEO - New York Geothermal Energy Organization Pace Energy and Climate Center Philadelphia Energy Authority Phius ProjectGreenHome.org Rewiring America RMI Sealed Shift Zero Sierra Club Silicon Valley Leadership Group Sustainable Silicon Valley The 99% PA U.S. Green Building Council U.S. PIRG VEIC Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE) ZeroCarbonMA

Interviews available upon request, contact Allison MacMunn at allison@sunstonestrategies.org or 312-622-4004.