Friends of the Earth U.S., on behalf of 2.8 million members and supporters in the United States, is pleased to present these comments in response to USDA’s Request for Public Comment on the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.

Why the “Growing Climate Solutions Act” Will Fail Farmers, Harm Frontline Communities, and Exacerbate the Climate Crisis

On behalf of our millions of members and activists nationwide, we, the undersigned 666 organizations—including climate, environmental and energy justice, democracy, faith, Indigenous, and racial justice groups—urge you to pass a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the infrastructure package and reject gas and other false climate solutions to address the climate emergency.

This is the yardstick by which we will measure the U.S. NDC, gauging its ability to move us toward a healthy and just future where global temperature rise is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This legislation aims to build a framework for broad-scale development of carbon markets and to pave the way for a national cap-and-trade program. We oppose these carbon schemes for the reasons discussed below.

The Fair Shares NDC presented here outlines measures that the Biden Administration should take to advance an equitable, just and ambitious climate agenda at home and abroad

The amount fossil fuel-reliant communities require to decouple from the federal leasing program pales in comparison to the bailouts the failing fossil fuel industry receives. As we build back better, we should build back with new protections for communities tied to fossil fuel extraction that foster a safer, healthier, and more economically secure future.

The CLEAN Future Act (H.R. 1512) is a prime example of the type of half-measure we must avoid. The CES in the newly proposed bill is defined broadly enough to allow “natural” gas (fossil gas), biomass, and nuclear power to qualify.

We, the undersigned organizations, encourage you to oppose the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2020 (S. 3894/H.R. 7393).

Report from Bailout Watch, Friends of the Earth and Public Citizen: How the US government provided a safety net for the flagging fossil fuel industry