Press Releases

Washington, DC – On Tuesday, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis unveiled a comprehensive congressional climate action framework, which includes two of Congressman Carbajal’s bills: H.R. 2470, the Clean Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act and H.R. 2199, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act.

The Select Committee’s climate action framework outlines ambitious and achievable policies to grow our economy through clean energy jobs, protect public health, ensure communities can withstand the impacts of climate change, and protect America’s land and water resources. The report specifically identifies Congressman Carbajal’s legislation as important tools for Congress to act on.

The Clean Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act, establishes a competitive funding program at the Environmental Protection Agency for the development of innovative water-related infrastructure projects built with the threats of climate change in mind. This grant opportunity will spur water, wastewater, and storm water projects that are better able to withstand, and adapt to, extreme weather events due to climate change.

In addition, the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act designates four new wilderness areas in the Carrizo Plain National Monument and expands nine existing wilderness areas in Los Padres National Forest. The wilderness designation is the highest form of protection the government can give to a public land and would prohibit any commercial development on the land, including oil and gas drilling.

The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act passed in the House of Representatives in February with bipartisan support as part of the Protecting America’s Wilderness Act, but the bill has not been considered by the Senate.

“Climate change is here and there is no time for inaction. I have been a fierce advocate for pragmatic policies that will make a real difference in the fight against climate change,” said Rep. Carbajal. “Protecting our public lands and ensuring communities like ours can withstand the effects of climate change are two ways we can make a huge difference to preserve our environment for generations to come.”

The Select Committee’s plan would put the country on a path to net-zero carbon pollution by 2050, if not earlier. It would power economic recovery through clean energy investment and family-sustaining jobs, and address the legacy of environmental injustice harming America’s low-income communities and communities of color.

“House Democrats recognize that we have the moral imperative to meet this moment with a bold climate action plan to reduce carbon pollution, create much-needed jobs to rebuild our economy, and tackle the systemic injustice of environmental racism head-on,” said Rep. Kathy Castor, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis was created at the outset of the 116th Congress to deliver policy recommendations to other House committees on how to solve the climate crisis. The full Select Committee report is viewable here.