Energy & Environment

The Big Story

White House, Energy Dept. mark gains on climate law anniversary

The Biden administration on Wednesday celebrated the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, the landmark climate law President Biden signed in 2022.

At a White House ceremony, Biden touted the private sector investments spurred by the law as well as associated job creation and the incentives it has driven to address climate change, such as the use of electric heat pumps and the installation of solar panels.

Biden also took shots at Republicans for uniformly voting against the bill and attempting to strip provisions from it in the fight over the federal debt ceiling earlier this year.

"Republicans have repeatedly tried to repeal key parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, including the Speaker of the House now," Biden said, noting some have still tried "taking credit for the billions of dollars in private investments and thousands of jobs coming into their states."

Meanwhile, in a report shared with The Hill, the Department of Energy projected the law and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could save Americans up to $38 billion in electricity costs by the end of the decade relative to a scenario where they never passed.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com and more coverage from our colleague Brett Samuels.

Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, we're Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Trump-era Energy secretary to lead electric utility lobby group

Dan Brouillette, who led the Energy Department under former President Trump, will lead a lobbying group for electric utilities, the group said Wednesday.

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Manchin vows to fight implementation of IRA as 'radical climate agenda'

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Wednesday said he will keep up his battle against the Biden administration and officials who seek to "undermine" the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as part of their "radical climate agenda" on the first anniversary of it being signed into law.

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Research suggests link between fracking, rare childhood cancers

New research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests fracking may increase the risk of rare cancers and asthma.

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In Other News

Branch out with a different read on The Hill:

Average Gulf Coast temperatures reach record highs

The Gulf of Mexico reached record heat in the first half of August, setting the stage for an intense hurricane season in a region that is no stranger to devastating storms.

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What We're Reading

News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

The Clean Energy Future is Roiling Both Friends and Foes (The New York Times)
What one school's fight to eliminate PFAS says about Indian Country's forever chemical problem (Grist)
Was Maui's Emergency Operations Chief In Over His Head? (Honolulu Civil Beat)
EPA Overrules Texas Plan to Reduce Haze From Air Pollution at National Parks (Inside Climate News)

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Trump refusal to sign loyalty pledge puts RNC in bind

Former President Trump's refusal to sign the Republican National Committee's (RNC) loyalty pledge is putting the organization in a bind as next week's GOP primary debate approaches. Read more