CLIMATE SUMMIT: How climate legislation can help West Virginia

Collin O’Mara serves as President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest wildlife conservation organization, which is focused on recovering America’s wildlife ranging from bison and bighorn sheep to pollinators like monarch butterflies and native bees, improving management of and access to public lands, restoring America’s water bodies, advancing environmental education, and connecting every American child with the great outdoors. Prior to the Federation, O’Mara led the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as Cabinet Secretary from 2009 through 2014. As key note speaker at the 2021 WV Climate Alliance “CLIMATE, JOBS and JUSTICE” Summit Aug. 24, 2021, he spoke of climate legislation under consideration by Congress to address the climate crisis and what it means for West Virginians. View the full summit here: youtu.be/-m54X7PVsC0

TRANSCRIPT: Excerpt from the Aug. 24, 2021 "CLIMATE, JOBS and JUSTICE: A Public Forum on West Virginia's Future," sponsored by the West Virginia Climate Alliance. VIEW FULL SUMMIT AT: youtu.be/-m54X7PVsC0

COLLIN O’MARA: We're in a moment in time right now, where the next 37 days are likely going to  decide the level of investment that's going to be driven in our country for the next decade. The stakes are incredibly high. 

I think after — I'd argue seven years of broken promises, to Appalachia, to West Virginia, specifically — this is the first time where, you know, I think there's a concerted effort to try to do right by folks that have powered this country for a century. And I think there's an opportunity, but the only way to have the level of investment to address the health impacts that we just heard about, the dislocated worker challenges that have been laid out inequities, the racial inequities that persists in so many ways, is to go big. 

I look a little haggard right now, because I was up until like maybe three or four in the morning last night, trying to wrangle the last few Democratic votes, to take the next step in the second package, the reconciliation package, to make sure that that had a successful vote today, which it did, to allow the kind of the process to unfold. So, let me step back a little bit and just kind of talk about how I see the landscape and the opportunities for you all. And why I'm hoping that you'll all be willing to lean in over these next 37 to 40 days.

Now, there are two big packages before the before the Congress right now. The first is the bipartisan infrastructure package. It was originally the bipartisan infrastructure framework — it had this horrible acronym BIFF, which sounded like a character from you know, from "Back to the Future." It basically was really led and shaped in many ways by by Senator Manchin. I think if you look at the priorities in that bill, you'll see a lot of things that he's talked about for a long time. Expanding rural broadband, making sure that the now-250,000 folks in West Virginia that don't have access to the Internet right now, to have that ability to access it with high-speed fiber. And making sure we're upgrading Internet access for another half million folks in West Virginia that now have access, but either can't afford it or it's just low quality. You know, folks running on dial up or on older phone lines. So, a big, big opportunity there.

We've always been kind of making the case that clean energy is better for climate, for public health, you know, for for wildlife. It's also better for people's pocketbooks. 

There's about $500 million of water upgrades. This is something that Sen. Capito worked really hard on with my my senior senator — Tom Carper, here in Delaware, another West Virginian, who was born there. And they work together to make sure that there's a lot of money in the bill — $55 billion total — for water infrastructure upgrades, including lead pipe pipe replacement, and the like. So, significant investments  opportunities for West Virginia.

I can go through the list — for transportation there's about, I think,  $74 million for charging stations in the bill for West Virginia. Huge investments in things like carbon capture technologies for steel and cement and kind of advanced manufacturing facilities. So, some really, really big pieces. 

And the challenge is that if you add it all up — it's still not nearly enough. And there are some really important investments for West Virginia specifically. For example, one of the most important ones is the $11.5 billion that Senator Manchin secured for cleaning up abandoned coal mines — $11.5 billion. It's a massive increase. He also has a reauthorization of the abandoned mine lands program, as part of the bill, after negotiating an agreement with his Republican colleague, John Barrasso from Wyoming. 

But these are big investments that are going to create tens of thousands of jobs. And at the same time, they're not nearly enough, given the moment that we're in. And I appreciated both the health presentation, as well as Pam's presentation, and kind of looking at the kind of the natural disasters that West Virginians face, because I think one area that has been underreported in both the bipartisan package, as well as the reconciliation package, are the level of investments that are there for resilience. And again, we need a lot more. 

Having folks bill's go down from this transition, while you're creating a whole bunch of jobs — local construction jobs, in-state good union jobs — is a is a game changer.

But I had an old mentor used to say, you know, flooding is natural — disasters are manmade. That was maybe 15 years ago. I think now, we've we've contributed to our level of disaster. But a lot of the reasons we see the level of devastation that we're seeing is that we haven't taken care of our riparian corridors, our wetlands, our forests — places that could absorb a lot of the water, reduce the velocity and volume, and hopefully reduce some of the damage that we're seeing and some of the deaths that we're seeing as a result of these catastrophic flash floods. 

So, that's all in the first package. That's all in the bipartisan package. The second package that is being debated right now — and this is kind of what you see on the news, kind of today — is what they call the Reconciliation package. And this is the ‘Build Back Better’ agenda that President Biden ran on. Within this package, there's between $800 billion and a trillion dollars worth of spending in the climate space — it depends how you define a couple different different pieces of the puzzle. But this is where the big emission reductions are in the package. 

And so, massive investments in clean energy tax credits — $400 to $500 billion worth of clean energy tax cuts over the next 10 years. Really trying to provide predictability, lower costs, to make sure we're leveling the playing field, as we try to meet the the president's goal of getting to 100% clean energy by 2035.

One of the mechanisms in this legislation that's critical is the clean energy standard. And I'm sure many of you heard about — now, it's being called either the Clean Energy Incentive Program or the Clean Energy Payment Program. There's kind of different names running around. But the idea is that you would have standards for utilities to reduce their emissions from their current portfolio, using all the incentives that I just mentioned, as well as some other ones that I'll talk about in just a moment. And using those as a way to really drive down their their emissions and have cleaner sources of energy. And then be rewarded for that — if they achieve the reductions, they receive a big incentives. And if they don't, there may be penalties in some of the out years. 

There's a ton of opportunities for West Virginia jobs.

Here's the interesting thing for West Virginia — is that just through that one program, not even looking at some of the other incentives, energy bills would actually go down. And, you know, there's been some great analysis that I know many of you have been involved in — I'm looking at how the status quo is actually pretty expensive. So, it's $800 million a year cheaper to move towards cleaner sources of energy in West Virginia then staying with the status quo. This policy, on top of that, would also make it cheaper, because you'd be incentivized to drive cleaner sources of energy. The reason that's significant is that we've always been kind of making the case that clean energy is better for climate, for public health, you know, for for wildlife. It's also better for people's pocketbooks. 

And, so, when you look at the way President Biden approached this plan, by making big investments in transmission infrastructure, combined with big incentives for the deployment of clean energy, combined with additional incentives for utilities to adopt cleaner sources of energy, you put that all together, and the real beneficiaries are the ratepayers. You know, having folks bill's go down from this transition, while you're creating a whole bunch of jobs — local construction jobs, in-state good union jobs — is a is a game changer. And frankly, it's a slightly different approach. 

And then there's another piece kind of to compliment that massive investment in clean energy. And it's these series of advanced manufacturing tax credits, such as Senator Manchin has been leading on. It's called '48 C' after the section of the tax code — you might hear that shorthand occasionally. 

But the idea is that you basically incentivize American companies to manufacture clean energy technologies, other advanced materials in the US, in ways that are creating more local jobs, paying good wages, having good union benefits, good union wages as part of that. And then having companies have an even greater incentive, if they're willing to invest in communities, like in Appalachia, like in West Virginia, where there's been high rates of unemployment. And so you get yet another benefit on top of it. 

When you put it all together. It's not simply a climate plan. It's really an opportunity to diversify and strengthen the overall West Virginia economy.

The reason I want to kind of lay out all these pieces — and there's big investments, $30 to $40 billion in investments in forestry, which would make a huge difference for the Monogahela. It would complement the work that Senator Manchin did last year in the Great American Outdoors Act. It provides for the recreational infrastructure. Now, this would provide some of the more restoration work for some of the areas that have had damage and just different areas that have to be reforested. And having habitat restored. 

There's a ton of opportunities for West Virginia jobs. And if you put it all together, I mean, you're talking hundreds of thousands of jobs over the next 10 years, lower energy bills, a more diversified economy. Hopefully more folks that are coming into the state. More opportunities for folks that go to Morgantown, or go to Marshall, the amazing universities you have — to stay close to home. And fiber optics obviously create opportunities for folks to live in the wild and wonderful land of West Virginia, and maybe even to telecommute to other other places.

So, it creates a huge number of opportunities. When you put it all together. It's not simply a climate plan. It's really an opportunity to diversify and strengthen the overall West Virginia economy. And frankly, do it now, like so many other areas of the country have been able to do through federal investment in the past. I mean, you think about places like North Carolina—  the federal investment that led to the Research Triangle. You think about investment that was made in the auto industry at the beginning of the Obama administration, allowing those industries to modernize and diversify and move to cleaner products and electric vehicles and like. I think about the number of times Wall Street's been bailed out or how places have been ravaged by by different types of disasters.

That kind of cavalry has never really come for West Virginia. And, look, I'm from upstate New York, I grew up in Syracuse — and it never came for us either. We were promised the world during the rush of globalization, in the '80s and '90s, when a whole bunch of my friends ended up leaving the state with their parents to look for work as a lot of those plants were closing. You know, the help never came. We were promised the world. But the calvary never showed up. This is that opportunity — to kind of correct all the issues that we're talking about right now. 

But it really is predicated on going big. And now in the reconciliation package, there's also other parts around child tax credits, opportunities for paid family leave, childcare credits. I mean, there's a whole other kind of set that I'm happy to talk about during if there's interest. 

You know, the help never came. We were promised the world. But the calvary never showed up. This is that opportunity — to kind of correct all the issues that we're talking about right now. 

But for this conversation, the climate pieces are transformative. And when you put together the industrial and fossil emission reduction investments in the first package, with the clean energy, and the advanced transportation investments in the second package — you put it together, the opportunity for West Virginia to go from kind of a laggard to a leader is there. And it could really be transformational. 

Now, look, I know, there's been challenges with kind of the local politics and the challenges in dealing with different types of technology and the like. One of my goals has been from the beginning to kind of create these opportunities that make it a win-win. I mean, I want to see more capital flowing into the places that have higher rates of air pollution, higher rates of carbon emissions, higher rates of unemployment, as a way to direct capital flows into your community,

Shannon, and others from my team have been working with Angie and others — and many of you — trying to figure out ways to set these policies in a way that create those kinds of opportunities for win-wins. Because frankly, having more clean energy in the state of West Virginia has a better impact on the overall national numbers, then yet another solar system in California or New York. Right now, emissions may be 1,800 pounds per megawatt hour in the state of West Virginia for the average megawatt hour of power. In New York, you're like 400 or 500 megawatt hours. So, displacing some of that current pollution with cleaner sources truly is a huge impact on the mass balance. Doing it in a way that creates jobs and lowers bills is even better. 

The opportunity for West Virginia to go from kind of a laggard to a leader is there. And it could really be transformational. 

And so I see huge opportunities that are very specific to West Virginia, in particular, to try to address some of these long-standing economic challenges in ways that also meet our public health and environmental goals. 

Before I wrap up, and we're get to the Q-and-A in just a second, there's also a lot of investments around environmental justice in the package — cleaning up Superfund sites, cleaning up brownfields. Some of this is in the first package, some of its in the second package. But a way to address a lot of the toxic pollution, the legacy pollution, that unfortunately so affects so many of us in real, real ways. And I see the opportunity through this kind of intersectional big coalition, kind of pushing for these kind of investments, to really be a way to inspire the youth, to kind of work on a lot of these projects. Hopefully through some kind of Civilian Conservation Corps — Climate Corps 2.0, which is very much in play, probably $10 to $30 billion investments coming in that area. 

But to really address those lingering health issues that are still there, whether it's PFOSS or heavy metals, or other type of legacy pollution. To, in a way, that really creates new opportunities for revitalization, for outdoor recreation, for tourism, for new industries. I mean, it's a way to, again, diversify the overall economy. 

And, so, I'm really bullish on this overall package. I mean, I'm a little biased because I worked with the Biden administration from the campaign on, kind of helping design a lot of elements. I want you all to know, though, how engaged Senator Manchin has been in every element of this. I mean, it's not an accident that West Virginia is going to get a bigger share of the bipartisan package than probably any other state. Definitely per capita. Because of the way that he ran his processes for the Energy Natural Resources Committee he's the chair of. I had the opportunity to testify before it — trying to make a couple tweaks and make things even better. And he was able to take a lot of those recommendations. But he's doing the work. 

Now is the moment. I really am begging you all to lean in. Now is the time to make the case.

And at the same time, there's some things that he's skeptical. There's some things that we need to convince him. Some of the investments around clean energy, making sure that he's convinced that they're going to benefit West Virginians. Not just in the form of cleaner energy, but actually jobs. And not just construction jobs and manufacturing jobs, and maybe even some upstream jobs. You know, there are some real conversations to have around critical minerals. And how we do that in a safe and smart way. Frankly, I'd rather be figuring out ways to excavate some of those minerals and materials here safely. Again, safe in the right places, not destroying the most spectacular places like is often proposed — places like the Boundary Waters of the Grand Canyon or Bristol Bay. 

But again, thinking about how we use innovation that's coming out of your amazing universities. And then having that be applied to creating jobs locally, to create bigger, better supply chains. And, really, kind of thinking through all those jobs along the way, to really supplement the work that Jeremy was talking about, where we can help make sure that workers get the support they need. But, hopefully, moving them and their families into great opportunities for future future prosperity. 

So, I'm incredibly excited. The only thing I'm a little annoyed about is I was really  excited about having this event in person. Because I was going to load up the load of my little car. And load up the family I got two young girls — I’ve got a nine year old and a four year old, who love Canaan. And my youngest is finally ready for Seneca Rocks. But she's going summit to the top, because I  just kind of was going to carry her last time, bit it just became too painful on the way down

But I love this coalition. I love what you're all doing with the climate work in the state. I'm a huge fan of the Reimagine Appalachia coalition, which so many of you are a part of. Now is the moment. And I know folks are busy because summer vacations are ending. Some have kids that are going back to school. The next month is critical. 

And so we're gonna get to the call to action in just a second. But from me — I really am begging you all to lean in. Now is the time to make the case. This isn't just good for the country. It isn't just good for the world. It isn't just good for the planet, right. It's good for West Virginia. And it's good for West, Virginia — on the economics on the jobs, on of costs. It's great for setting up the next generation of real opportunity. And, of course, it's huge on the environmental and climate side. 

But this is one of those true win-win-wins. We wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for all of your work over so many years. I mean, Sen. Manchin's a good friend. I joke on how far we've come since that ad when he was, you know, shooting the cap-and-trade bill during that one election. He's stepping up in some big ways, but we also have to have his back. And we have to push. We have to encourage him to to show there's broad support in state for a lot of these actions. 

It's good for West, Virginia on the economics on the jobs, on of costs. It's great for setting up the next generation of real opportunity. And, of course, it's huge on the environmental and climate side. 

One of my favorite quotes from Franklin Delano Roosevelt — he said it his 1936 acceptance speech. He said, 'I agree with you. I think that's what we should do. Now, make me do it.' And what he meant was, you know, build the public support to give — I don't want to say 'cover’ — but to give the support to make sure the legislative action actually occurred. And, you know, that's pretty good advice from a person that probably moved more federal legislation than any other president in our history. I think that's the moment right now. 

Like I said, we have a clock. We have a 37-day clock, to change the world. To change the country and hopefully set up West Virginia in a way that makes your amazing country roads not just the epicenter of the energy economy in this country, but really a model of what a diversified, kind of natural resource-friendly economy could look like. 

That's a pretty big aspiration, but it's definitely doable. You have all the pieces and policies are there. We've got a lot of work to get there.