CHARLES E. SCHUMEH DEMOCRATIC 
sz YOFIK

Status ?tnatt

wasumororv, no 20510
December 6, 2018

President Donald Trump

The White House

1600 Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Trump:

In the wake of the administration?s release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment report and
some of the most devastating wild?res and hurricanes the US. has ever seen, it is crucial that we
immediately enact legislation to combat climate change and create millions of jobs. Therefore,
any infrastructure package considered in 2019 must include policies and funding to transition to
a clean energy economy and mitigate the risks that the United States is already facing due to
climate change.

Climate change is real, caused by humans, and its impacts are already being felt in communities
across the country. The administration?s recent National Climate Assessment report laid out in
detail many of the risks of climate change, which will only worsen if we do not dramatically
reduce emissions. If left unchecked, the damage caused by climate change will cause untold
human suffering and signi?cant damage to the US. economy.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take in an infrastructure package in the 116th Congress to
combat climate change, modernize the electric grid, and build more resilient communities.
Below are just a few of the policies that can and should be included in any package
in the next Congress:

0 Provide permanent tax incentives for domestic production of clean electricity and storage,
energy ef?cient homes and commercial buildings, electric vehicles, and modernizing the
electric grid;

II Invest in both storage and transmission capacity to move renewable power around the
country;

Invest in smart grid and microgrid technology, and prepare the grid for more locally
generated renewable energy;

It Invest in and save taxpayer dollars through energy ef?ciency upgrades for public
buildings, schools, affordable housing, and other infrastructure;

1* Substantially increase investments in research, development, and deployment of next?
generation clean energy, energy ef?ciency, carbon reduction, and energy storage
technologies;

I Invest in resilient transportation, water, waste, and sewer infrastructure;

0 Provide funding to help communities reduce the vulnerability of their critical
infrastructure to extreme weather and natural disasters;

I Establish a new resilient communities revolving loan fund for communities to invest in
resilient infrastructure, including natural infrastructure solutions such as restored
wetlands, ?oodplains, and other natural features that can mitigate property damage and
loss of life;

0 Invest in the natural environment, speci?cally in conservation, wildlife habitat, and
deferred maintenance on our public lands, to power the robust outdoor economy and
secure our shared natural heritage for future generations; and

- Signi?cantly reduce the release of methane pollution as a by-product of domestic energy
production.

Building a clean energy infrastrucmre across America to deal with climate change can create
millions of new jobs, but we must also ensure this new workforce is protected. All projects built
with public dollars must enforce Davis-Bacon provisions to guarantee workers are paid
prevailing wages; utilize project labor agreements be subject to ?Buy America?
standards; and include community bene?ts agreements, ?local hire? and other provisions. Green
jobs must also be good jobs.

Climate change is an existential threat. Communities devastated by this year?s record-breaking
wild?re season and last year?s record-breaking hurricane season have seen and felt the impacts
of climate change ?rsthand. The impacts will continue to worsen if we do not take decisive and
immediate action to transition to a IOU-percent clean energy economy. The challenge is
immense, but so is the opportunity to revitalize and modernize our infrastructure, create new jobs
and economic opportunities, and position the United States as a leader in clean energy
innovation. A single infrastructure bill will not solve our climate problem in its entirety, but it is
an important first step

Sincerely,

Clau?

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

cc: Senate Majority Leader McConnell
House Majority Leader McCarthy
House Minority Leader Pelosi