SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Co-Chairs Sean Casten and Mike Levin Highlight Democrats’ Clean Energy Vision During Republicans’ Dirty Energy Week
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, Reps. Sean Casten (IL) and Mike Levin (CA), released the following statement to highlight a real vision for an American clean energy future during House Republicans’ Dirty Energy Week.
“This week, House Republicans doubled down on their goal of increasing emissions and costs for American families all while turning a blind eye to energy reliability. The American people have been clear — they want expanded access to cleaner, cheaper, more reliable forms of energy,” said Congressman Casten. “Rep. Levin and I introduced the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act to do just that. If our colleagues across the aisle prioritize the needs of energy consumers over the wants of energy producers, they’d bring our bill to the floor for a vote. Instead, we’ve spent another week voting on handouts to the fossil fuel industry."
"Instead of bringing up transformative energy policies like the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act that move us into the future, House Republicans are wasting their time on a dirty ‘Energy Week.’ Republicans’ bills prop up Big Oil and Gas while doing nothing to lower costs for our constituents,” said Congressman Levin. “These policies stick to the old polluting playbook rather than transitioning to a clean energy economy that tackles climate change and creates thousands of jobs. We need to be forward-thinking in our energy policies to build a future that is more sustainable, cleaner, and energy secure.”
Background
Reps. Casten and Levin introduced the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration (CETA) Act in December to serve as a consensus House Democrat vision to address the primary permitting and transmission issues holding back the American clean energy transition. The bill is endorsed by the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition. Reps. Casten and Levin co-lead the bill with 78 of their House Democratic colleagues as cosponsors.
CETA will bring our electric grid into the 21st century to meet increasing energy demand from economy-wide electrification and data centers. This bill will accelerate the responsible build out of renewable energy on public lands and waters to meet our clean energy and climate goals. And CETA will center early and effective community engagement to ensure that projects have buy in from impacted communities to ensure their success.
In brief, CETA would:
- Amend the Federal Power Act to direct the Federal Regulatory Commission to issue new rules on improving interregional planning, siting, and deployment of transmission.
- Provide a 30% transmission investment tax credit.
- Incentivize development of renewable energy on priority areas within our public lands.
- Reform the Outer Continental Shelf Lands to encourage offshore wind deployment.
- Expand meaningful consultation with disadvantaged groups and communities in the permitting process.
The text of the bill can be found here.
A section-by-section description of the bill can be found here.
A one-pager on the bill can be found here.
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