House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Vice-Chair Rep. Deb Haaland (D-NM), Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP), Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), and Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) introduced legislation today to reduce climate-damaging emissions from public lands to net-zero by the year 2040.

The American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act is the result of months of public outreach and collaboration with the communities most affected by the threat of climate change. The bill establishes new initiatives aimed at revitalizing fossil-fuel dependent communities, reinvesting revenues in efforts to assist the transition to clean energy, and providing accurate, up-to-date information on greenhouse gas emissions for the public to access online.

View the bill.

The following is a statement from Marissa Knodel, legislative counsel for climate and energy at Earthjustice:

“This legislation is a bold step towards solving the climate crisis in a transparent, inclusive, and collaborative way, and we are proud to support it. It recognizes that the days of unrestrained coal, oil, and gas extraction for the sake of profit must end. It welcomes the voices of impacted community members, Tribal communities, and scientific experts as necessary contributors to the development of a healthier planet rather than pushing them to the side. Crucially, it acknowledges that we must make an equitable and just transition to a clean energy economy as soon as possible. Earthjustice will continue to work with partners and allies to build support for this legislation.”