Washington, D.C. — Clean Air Task Force Action, a U.S. advocacy organization that advances climate and clean energy policies designed to achieve decarbonization, has announced a $560,000 ad campaign in key House and Senate districts. The digital ad buy comes after President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on August 16, marking a historic moment in the fight against climate change in the United States. The campaign is the second phase of Clean Air Task Force Action’s initial $200,000 effort in early August, which encouraged select House members to help pass the IRA. 

The IRA will allocate nearly $370 billion to environmental efforts, and increase the country’s capacity to build clean energy infrastructure. The bill will help spur the economic transformation needed to address climate change, make clean energy more accessible and affordable, and direct important investments to underserved communities.

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic investment in clean energy technologies, and the members of Congress that voted for the bill should be lauded for this bold action to address climate change while boosting the American economy. They are leaders fighting to create new jobs across the U.S., keep the country’s energy sector competitive and affordable, and reduce inflation and the national deficit,” said Lindsey Griffith, Executive Director, Clear Air Task Force Action.

The campaign acknowledges Members of Congress for advancing this legislation and highlights some of the IRA’s anticipated benefits. Not only does the IRA take much-needed action on climate, putting the U.S. within striking distance of its goal of 50-52% emissions reductions within the decade, it will also create nearly 1.5 million jobs across the country and add $250 billion to the economy by 2030. 

The ads will run in fourteen key House districts and another four Senate geographies across ten states, including Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, New Hampshire, Virginia, Michigan, Washington state, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. 

By Lindsey Baxter Griffith

California has a long history of climate leadership, going above and beyond the traditional climate policy status quo and taking the first steps on ambitious climate standards that we need to achieve our climate goals. The state’s net-zero emissions by 2045 goal is one of the most ambitious among U.S. states.

But in recent years, due to challenges associated with climate change itself, as well as challenges associate with building out clean energy infrastructure, California has struggled to reach emissions reductions targets and meet the energy demands of a thriving economy. Building clean energy infrastructure at the scale and pace required has proven a tall order. And for a long time, it has seemed like there were few options.

But the end of August marked a historic moment for California, as the state legislature passed critical legislation to help achieve its ambitious climate goals. We have the targets in place and leaders are now starting to dig in to the “how” of climate action. Through this legislation, elected officials in California increased the state’s clean energy options and accelerated new projects. This breakthrough should serve as a model for the rest of the country.

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This pragmatic approach advances a broad suite of critical carbon-free energy solutions, including by:

• Spending $54 billion on climate action, including billions for renewable energy;
• Setting a clean electricity target of 90% by 2035 and 95% by 2040;
• Keeping open the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, the state’s largest single source of carbon-free energy;
• Establishing a clear regulatory framework for carbon capture, requiring the state to develop an achievable set of carbon removal targets;.
• Adopting a more ambitious 2030 carbon emissions reduction target from 40% to 55% below the 1990 level;.
• Codifying the state’s policy for midcentury net-zero emissions and net-negative emissions thereafter.

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Overwhelming support for these policies in both the state Assembly and Senate has pointed us in the right direction towards a clean energy future that California deserves. It’s a future with ambitious climate goals, and these policies can put them in reach in our lifetimes while also increasing affordability and improving reliability.

Let’s get to work across California and the rest of the country to push for more pragmatic policy progress. Join us at Clean Air Task Force Action today.