With California grappling with the impacts of the economic and climate crises, investing in infrastructure and clean energy is long overdue.
Economic recovery must be centered on climate action and restorative justice. The Biden administration recently revealed the American Jobs Plan, the White House’s infrastructure plan under the umbrella of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
This sweeping plan is a once-in-a-century capital investment to not only meet our country’s current infrastructure needs that have been exacerbated by the public health and climate crises, but to also invest in research and development of our country’s economy through a climate change and racial equity lens.
What does this mean for California?
Now is the moment where California’s federal delegation must step up and lead in this transition to a clean energy economy.
An integral part of the American Jobs Plan is a commitment to transitioning to a clean energy economy, which aligns with our state’s climate goals. The plan proposes creating union jobs to upgrade our power grids and investments in offshore wind production and to help people gain the skills they need to function competitively in the future economy being reimagined. It is applying the lens that looking ahead, union jobs will be about electric cars and clean energy and not cement and fossil fuels.
The American Jobs Plan is a reflection of the President’s commitment to Justice and Equity – as its foundation addresses public health and climate action as the road to economic recovery. As it stands, the Biden administration has already committed to protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030, announced the nation’s goal to cut carbon emissions at least in half by 2030, and reinstated California’s authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards.
Unlike the failed “infrastructure week”’s of the past – the American Jobs Plan is focused on addressing the weakest points of American infrastructure in our most marginalized communities with a variety of investments including increasing access to clean water to upgrading ports in order to reduce toxic air pollution.
The price of inaction on the climate crisis is all too apparent for Californians as fire season extends to a year-round existential threat and our coastlines erode away public beach access. To mitigate these risks, we will need to preserve and create high-quality, good-paying union jobs across the economy.
The American Jobs Plan aims for transformational progress in our country’s infrastructure while tackling climate change and protecting our communities–especially vulnerable and disadvantaged communities–from billions of dollars in damage from the devastating impacts of floods, storms, and wildfires. This is the kind of action we need here in our state and why we must act now.
Californians must lead the way to achieve these goals. Call your representative and tell them that you support the American Jobs Plan because the path of economic recovery and climate action must go hand-in-hand. Then, sign up to be a member of EnviroVoters and receive updates on the work ahead.
California has been a global trailblazer in climate action, and we can continue to pave the way with the right leadership. The current administration sees the value in making our infrastructure more secure and resilient, and we look forward to staying on this path.
California Legislators Show Their Support for the American Jobs Plan
