FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2020
Congressional Roadmap for Climate Action includes four bills written by Rep. Barragán
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chair Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) joined members of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis to unveil a plan to address the changing climate, grow the economy and create clean-energy jobs, create a healthier environment, and move towards environmental justice.
The report, “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America,” is full of many detailed and actionable climate solutions that Congress can, and should, vote to enact.
“The climate crisis threatens all of us, but low-income communities and communities of color have long been disproportionately affected by the dangers of climate change and pollution. Taking action to solve the climate crisis will create millions of good jobs and move towards justice for minority communities suffering the health effects of our dangerous and dirty fossil-fuels economy,” said Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán. “I want to thank Chair Castor and the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis for their hard work reaching out to stakeholders to develop their plan for addressing the climate crisis, including leaders in Congress fighting for environmental and climate justice.”
“This plan has some very good provisions on clean energy, zero-emissions vehicles, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and environmental justice,” Barragán added. “We also need to address halting new fossil fuel infrastructure and aggressively wind down fossil fuel extraction. I look forward to continuing to fight for that, as well.”
“We have a plan – and it comes at a critical time,” said Select Committee Chair Kathy Castor. “Our plan will put people back to work and rebuild in a way that benefits all of us. That means environmental justice and our vulnerable communities are at the center of the solutions we propose. The health of our families and the air we breathe are at the heart of our plan. We chart the course to good-paying jobs in solar and wind energy, in manufacturing American-made electric vehicles, and in strengthening communities, so they are more resilient to flooding, extreme heat, intense hurricanes and wildfires.”
The Climate Crisis Action Plan includes four bills written by Congresswoman Barragán:
- HR 7024, Climate Smart Ports Act
- HR 4512, Outdoors for All Act
- HR 6561, Social Determinants of Health Act
- HR 1335, Safe COAST Act
Here is a summary of each bill sponsored by Representative Barragán that is included in the Climate Crisis Action Plan.
HR 7024, Climate Smart Ports Act
The Climate Smart Ports Act would create the first federal program dedicated to greening our nation’s ports. The legislation creates a $1 billion-a-year zero-emissions ports infrastructure program to assist ports and port users with replacing cargo handling equipment, port harbor craft, drayage trucks, and much more with zero emissions equipment and technology.
Nearly 40 percent of Americans live within three miles of a port, including residents near the Port of Los Angeles in Congresswoman Barragán’s district. Many port communities are low income communities and communities of color that have to deal with high emitting diesel trucks, ships, trains, and cargo handling equipment. These high traffic areas are often referred to as “Diesel Death Zones.” Environmental justice issues are prevalent, and this bill can serve as a significant down payment on reducing these disparities.
The Climate Smart Ports Act has been cross-filed by Senator Jeff Merkley (Ore.), S. 4042
This bipartisan legislation introduced by Rep. Barragán and Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) would create a dedicated source of funding for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP), which supports park projects in urban and low-income communities across the nation.
A 2017 survey found that 51 percent of residents in Los Angeles County live more than a half-mile from. Park, and the city of Compton has only 0.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, well below the county and national average.
The Outdoors for All Act is a companion bill to legislation, S. 1458, introduced by Senator Kamala Harris (Calif.) in the Senate
HR 6561, Social Determinants of Health Act
The legislation would create a new Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) program at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through grants and guidance, this program would empower public health departments and community organizations to lead efforts to build integrated systems that research and address the social factors that negatively impact health in their regions, including pollution
The Safe Coasts, Oceans, and Seaside Towns (COAST) Act has been introduced by Reps. Barragán, Buchanan (R-Fla.), Crist (Fla.) Price (N.C.) and Rooney (R-Fla.) to codify two safety regulations implemented after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. These two rules, dealing with production safety systems and well control, and been rolled back by the Trump Administration, putting coastal economies and the wildlife at greater risk from offshore drilling.
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington.