For Immediate Release:
Friday, Aug. 12, 2022
Contact:
Lee Francis | Deputy Director
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
(434) 989-3197 | lfrancis@valcv.org
Inflation Reduction Act is largest effort to-date from Congress to tackle climate change, expand clean energy
RICHMOND – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, sending this package to President Biden for his signature and paving the way for the largest win on climate action and clean energy in our nation’s history.
In response to this historic vote, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, released the following statement:
“Today’s vote was truly a pivotal moment in the climate fight, and one that will reverberate large here in Virginia, building on progress we’ve already made growing a clean energy economy, creating jobs, and cutting harmful pollution. This package, while historic, isn’t a moonshot and cannot be the only consequential vote Congress takes on climate change. Today, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we will continue pushing for aggressive climate action while fighting unnecessary and destructive fossil fuel infrastructure that threatens our health and our future.”
Background:
The $370 billion in investments in clean energy and climate action under the IRA will result in an estimated 40 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, getting our nation closer to the threshold it needs to hit in order to prevent the worst impacts of climate change into the future (a full rundown of these investments is available here).
In the process, the IRA will lower inflation, cut household and healthcare costs for families, and help create an estimated 9 million jobs in the clean energy sector, while yielding huge health benefits. Due to the pollution reductions that will be realized because of the IRA, our nation will avoid as many as 3,900 premature deaths per year in 2030, with reductions concentrated in communities of color. Avoided air pollution would also prevent up to 100,000 asthma attacks and up to 417,000 lost workdays in 2030.
About us:
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters serves as the political voice of the state’s conservation community, working to make sure Virginia’s elected officials recognize that our natural heritage is an environmental and economic treasure for all. Virginia LCV works with conservation leaders across Virginia and strives for a conservation majority in state government. We secure good public policies on the state level and hold public officials accountable for their positions on environmental issues. For more information, visit www.valcv.org.
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