WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement today after President Biden signed executive orders to address the climate crisis at home and abroad while creating good-paying union jobs, building sustainable infrastructure, and building an equitable future with clean energy.

“President Biden is delivering on his promise to prioritize addressing the existential threat climate change poses to Americans and across the world. The Executive Orders will build on key actions the President took on day one including rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and rolling back harmful standards implemented by the Trump administration in order to better protect our air, water, public lands, and communities.

“The President’s Executive Order to leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to purchase zero-emission vehicles and carbon pollution-free electricity is enormously important to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create good-paying clean energy jobs here in the U.S., and spur wider adoption of electric vehicles. In addition, the Biden Administration put a pause on entering into new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters and directs the Secretary of the Interior to identify steps that can be taken to double renewable energy production from offshore wind by 2030.

“Today’s Executive Actions reaffirm the central role that equity and justice must play in addressing climate change. Adverse impacts of the climate crisis disproportionately affect Black, Brown, and disadvantaged communities. The order creates a government-wide Justice40 Initiative that will aim to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of relevant investments to disadvantaged communities. The order makes environmental justice a priority across the federal government, establishing a new Interagency Council and Advisory Council on the issue and directing federal agencies to develop programs and policies that address the disproportionate environmental and health impacts on disadvantaged communities.

“While there is still much work to be done, including Congressional action to provide robust investments in a clean energy economy, the steps being taken by the Biden-Harris administration clearly demonstrate their commitment to treating the climate crisis with the scale and intersectional approach we need. I look forward to building on these executive actions and working with my colleagues to better address the climate crisis.”

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