The past few weeks have been HUGE for D.C.’s number one climate campaign. First, we marched with a couple hundred thousand of our closest friends. Then, we unveiled the details of our policy at our campaign launch with a huge show of support!
Now, it’s time to ramp up our efforts. We need to encourage D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh to introduce a bill for a carbon fee and rebate, and to pass it this year. To do that, we need your help! The bill we are proposing would make fossil fuel polluters pay for the real and damaging costs of their emissions with a steadily-rising fee on carbon. The majority of the money raised would be returned—through a quarterly “rebate”—to every D.C. resident, with additional support to low-income District residents. This “fee-and-rebate” approach would also include critical investments to help small businesses, transit and more. Read the details here.
D.C. families would benefit both economically and environmentally from cleaner air and water, new jobs created in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and more money in their bank accounts.
Councilmember Cheh has spearheaded the quick passage of sustainability policies in the past, such as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Expansion Amendment Act of 2016, which sets a goal of increasing D.C.’s clean energy use to 50 percent by 2032.
However, we are not on track to meet the city’s overall greenhouse gas goals. That’s why we need a strong, economy-wide policy like a carbon fee and rebate.
Now it’s time for us to ensure Councilmember Cheh continues to be a progressive champion on our issues, while helping D.C. meet ambitious sustainability goals! Councilmember Cheh wants to hear from her constituents, so the best thing you can do is contact her directly.
We marched. We rallied. Now we organize. Our moment is now.