Correction: President Biden’s infrastructure plan proposes $174 billion for 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. An earlier version of this digest incorrectly reported the number of charging stations.
INFRASTRUCTURE: President Joe Biden unveils a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, which in addition to a major overhaul of roads and bridges proposes $174 billion for 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, incentivizing EV purchases and replacing diesel transit and school buses. (Axios)
ALSO:
• Another $213 billion is proposed for building and retrofitting energy-efficient affordable housing, while $180 billion would go toward upgrading the U.S.’s electric grid. (CNN)
• Biden also wants to spend $35 billion on research and development to “address the climate crisis and position America as the global leader in clean energy technology and clean energy jobs.” (news release)
• Republicans signal they won’t get on board with the plan because it includes a corporate tax hike, while progressives would rather see a $10 trillion spending package. (USA Today, Politico)
***SPONSORED LINK: 2021 IPF Registration is now open! This year, IPF will be both in-person and virtual. IPF Together will be held August 24-26 in Richmond, VA (space is limited due to COVID guidelines). IPF Virtual will be taking place April 22, May 13, and June 17. Learn more and register today!***
ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
• Volkswagen’s press release revealing a U.S. rebrand as “Voltswagen” was an early April Fool’s Day stunt meant to publicize the company’s new all-electric SUV. (New York Times)
• Amazon Web Services is partnering with a Swiss company to develop a cloud-based EV fleet management platform as its parent company starts to roll out all-electric delivery vans. (TechCrunch)
• In Boston, a car sharing service looks to expand access to electric vehicles through income-tiered pricing. (Energy News Network)
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Robert Bullard, a member of the new White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, sees the committee as an opportunity to bring the topic from “a footnote to a headline.” (E&E News, subscription)
ELECTRIFICATION: Echoing a similar push in other states, North Carolina lawmakers advance legislation to prohibit local governments from banning natural gas connections in new buildings, though there’s no indication that any cities are considering such policies. (Energy News Network)
PIPELINES:
• Enbridge says it is not reimbursing local law enforcement agencies for overseeing pipeline protests in Michigan. (Michigan Advance)
• U.S. House Republicans plan a forum on President Biden’s decision to revoke a key permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project. (E&E News, subscription)
FOSSIL FUELS:
• California is failing to address oil drilling in residential, often Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, despite health and pollution complaints. (Yale Environment 360)
• Coal companies owned by the family of West Virginia’s governor push back against federal officials who seek $3.19 million stemming from a 2016 agreement to settle more than 23,000 water pollution violations. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
***SPONSORED LINK: What does the future hold as the U.S. accelerates its transition to clean energy? Join the Energy News Network on April 22 for a conversation about what’s next for coal country. Register today!***
HYDROGEN:
• A hydrogen-powered plane startup raises $24.3 million from investors, including Bill Gates, to start developing larger aircraft that could hold up to 50 people. (Bloomberg)
• A California-based company announces its Japanese partner has opened a plant in Tokyo to convert dried sewage sludge into hydrogen, with resulting power headed to fuel cell-equipped trucks in the U.S. (E&E News, subscription)
COMMENTARY:
• A mileage tax, recently floated by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, would “be likely to disadvantage rural communities, as well as communities of color,” an environmental justice fellow writes. (Grist)
• The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission finally seems to be “getting serious about the financial risks of climate change” — though division between commissioners could delay actual action, an SEC filings expert writes. (Bloomberg)