When he signed the updated state budget in March, Gov. Jay Inslee lauded legislators for making significant new investments in housing and homelessness, particularly the funding for additional services and new models of rapid housing aimed at speeding up the availability of supportive shelter and housing options.
Today at a press conference in Seattle, Inslee said he’s heartened by the results of those new options as they open up and residents are moving in. He said additional homelessness funding will be a top priority once again in the 2023 legislative session, along with a package of bills aimed at constructing more housing at prices that are more affordable for more people.
“Homelessness and housing affordability is hurting communities all across the country. The scale of this challenge is daunting, but we are learning that the new approaches we’re taking can and will work,” Inslee said. “There is no simple answer for fixing homelessness fast. In the short term, we need more shelters that provide more services so people get back on their feet. Over the long term, we need more housing that average workers can afford. Both of those solutions require every community to do their part.”
Funding for rapid acquisition and services are game-changers for cities, counties, and service providers
Recent point-in-time counts reveal more than 12,000 people are experiencing unsheltered homelessness across the state. Inslee says the only way to bring that many people indoors is to continue funding new rapid acquisition housing units and further expand behavioral health services.
“There is no question that additional capacity and more services will be a top budget priority in 2023,” said Inslee. “We are seeing good success from our initial efforts with rapid supportive housing, and we need to put the pedal to the metal to make these options available for thousands more people.”
Since 2013, legislators have steadily been increasing funding for the state’s Housing Trust Fund, including funding for new housing projects, but these often take years to build. In 2021, legislators passed the first budget to fund a new approach called rapid capital acquisition funding. These funds allow communities to purchase properties such as hotel or apartment buildings, and quickly turn them into a shelter or housing facility. In the 2022 session, legislators approved funding to almost double the number of new units to more than 4,400.
Within the first year, 14 new facilities have already opened, serving approximately 830 residents. The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded funding to an additional 19 projects in 12 counties that will provide nearly 1,000 additional units. The majority of the acquisitions are apartments or hotels that will be modified to provide long-term transitional or permanent housing.
Inslee has visited several such facilities this year, including True Hope Village in Seattle and Skagit First Step Center in Burlington.
In addition, legislators expanded funding for behavioral health services for people living at shelters and seeking help for mental health or chemical dependency issues.
Inslee says the proof these investments are working can also be seen in the state’s new Right of Way Safety Initiative. The initiative aims to transition people living in encampments along state highways to safer shelter and housing options. The state’s departments of Commerce and Transportation along with the Washington State Patrol are partnering with cities, counties, and nonprofit organizations to identify sites and conduct outreach to encampment residents.
Since Inslee announced the launch of the initiative in May, efforts are underway in King, Pierce, Thurston, Snohomish and Spokane counties. More than 124 individuals living at encampments have been transitioned to housing or shelter. Due to the extensive outreach and efforts to connect individuals to the right kind of services, at least 119 still remain housed.
Rep. Nicole Macri joined Inslee in emphasizing the importance of the new strategies for helping bring solutions online more quickly. Macri also serves as the deputy director for the Downtown Emergency Service Center in Seattle.
“As the governor said, often, almost always, to build housing and stand it up has taken years,” Macri said. “Now with courage and conviction it is taking weeks and that is making all the difference.”
“What you’re seeing today is ‘we success’ -- it’s not the success of the authority or the governor or WSDOT, it’s the success of all of us,” said Marc Dones, CEO of King County Regional Homelessness Authority. “When we use money smartly and use public funds with the best, smartest strategies we have… we can rapidly resolve encampments, we can bring everyone inside, and that is the reality we can live in.”
Lack of affordable housing will require action in every community
Washington state’s population has grown 25% since 2005 but housing supply has only grown by 22%. This means there’s a deficit of about 76,000 units as of 2020.
Cities and states across the country have seen recent spikes in home prices. In Washington state, from 2019 to 2020, median home prices increased 13.7% in just one year. This housing affordability crisis is not just in the state’s urban areas, but also in rural communities such as Chelan and Okanogan counties.
Inslee outlined three policies for the 2023 legislative session that he’ll be working with legislators on. He anticipates additional discussions and policies in the months leading up to session.
Increasing density near transit corridors by creating a public-private partnership transit-oriented development program and establishing requirements around the number of units that are priced affordably.
Speeding up development by creating a new permitting pilot program and digital permitting platforms.
Helping lower-income first-time home buyers by expanding a tax incentive for people who sell their homes to first-time home buyers in the state’s home buyer program.
“Availability and affordability are two sides of the same coin,” Inslee said. “Affordable housing is necessary for preventing people from sliding into homelessness, for helping people transition out of shelters and into permanent housing, and for strengthening the ability of working people to establish economic stability and security.”
(2)
WHAT!? INSLEE NOW A PREACHER? TEACHING THE WILL OF MEN, NOT GOD?
Inslee and legislators roll out more reproductive freedom bills for 2023 legislative session.
Today, Gov. Jay Inslee and lawmakers announced several policy proposals that will be part of a 2023 legislative package to strengthen access and protection for patients seeking abortion and other reproductive health services. They were joined by more than a dozen faith leaders and representatives of reproductive care providers.
"Access to a woman's right of choice is a health care issue," said Inslee. "Health care must remain the providence of individual Washington women. These laws will keep the tentacles of restrictive states out of Washington."
Rep. Drew Hansen previewed a sanctuary policy that will help protect patients from states like Texas or Idaho from being punished for lawfully seeking and receiving legal health care services in Washington state.
"If other states are going to be creative and aggressive in making anti-choice laws, we will be creative and aggressive in fighting back," said Hansen. "We are going to use every tool at our disposal to protect reproductive rights in our state.
Rep. Tarra Simmons discussed a bill first introduced last session that would prevent erosion of choice due to health care consolidations. Large, private health care organizations have quickly acquired competitors, leading to long waits, fewer choices, and new restrictions for gender-affirming care and reproductive health care.
The bill will require oversight for health system consolidation to ensure that care remains affordable, accessible, and held to a high standard of quality. The bill will also combat extralegal restrictions imposed by health systems blocking patients from lawful abortion or gender-affirming care.
"Rapid health system consolidation affects quality of care - professionals cannot provide care to the fullest of their ability, or to the standard that patients deserve," said Simmons.
The event was held at the Wayside United Church of Christ in Federal Way. Amy Johnson, a minister at the church, assured Washingtonians that she and many other faith leaders embrace people considering abortions, LTBTQ+ people, and people seeking gender-affirming care.
"I have worked for five decades in support of human rights and justice," said Johnson. "We affirm all genders and open our doors to LGBTQ+ people as children of God, created in God's image."
The event followed a press conference last week in Bellingham where Inslee affirmed he will be requesting legislation to pursue a constitutional amendment that expressly establishes a fundamental right to an abortion and a fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives.
At that event, Sen. Manka Dhingra and Rep. Vandana Slatter announced a health data bill that will close an egregious legal loophole that allows non-health care organizations to collect, share or sell private health information. The bill also prohibits collecting data on specific locations related to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is requesting the legislation.
In the months since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, 13 states have enacted bans on all or nearly all abortions. Nearly half of states are expected to similarly limit abortion care services.
Immediately following the Dobbs decision in June, Inslee joined the governors from California and Oregon to launch a multi-state commitment to reproductive freedom. Inslee and legislators then announced their intent to pursue a range of policies to strengthen access and support for abortion providers and patients. At that press conference Inslee announced he was making $1 million in emergency funds available for reproductive care clinics, and he issued a directive to the Washington State Patrol to refuse to cooperate with investigatory requests related to abortion that come from agencies in states with severe abortion limits.
Editorial note: Apparently, Inslee knows God's will, more than God! What arrogance!
Ref. Early Christians and Abortion.
Ref. Is the Condemnation of Homosexuality Universally Immoral?
Ref. The United Church Of Christ Is Not Of Christ
Ref. If It Feels Right then Go with It
NEWS FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO DC.
(3) Cantwell and Washington State Congressional Delegation to Biden: Hanford Cleanup Funds “A Top Priority For … the State of Washington”
New waste removal system debuting this year must be fully-funded, say bipartisan group of legislators.
EDMONDS, WA – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined the entire bipartisan Washington congressional delegation in a letter to President Biden calling for adequate funding of the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget to support Hanford cleanup operations.
In the letter, the members note that the cleanup is at a “critical juncture,” with the debut of the Tank Side Cesium Removal system, which will help turn low-level waste into glass.
The delegation wrote, in part:
“While significant cleanup progress has been made over the years, it is of the utmost importance that the federal government fund cleanup efforts at adequate levels for both Richland Operations and the Office of River Protection and with changing needs in mind. We are proud to work in concert and ensure that Hanford has the resources it needs to address current projects and plan for emerging needs in the future.”
“This is a top priority for our constituents, the state of Washington, the communities surrounding DOE’s Hanford Site, and regional Tribes.”
Senator Cantwell has long championed Hanford clean-up and played a leading role in defending its budget against cuts. In January 2021, at the nomination hearing for current Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Senator Cantwell secured a pledge to fully fund Hanford cleanup from the nominee. Secretary Granholm visited the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland and the Hanford site in August and discussed the need for funding with Senator Cantwell. Throughout the Trump administration Senator Cantwell repeatedly led the charge in opposing drastic cuts to the Hanford budget, and in 2020 she led a successful effort to defeat a provision in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that could have diverted billions in funding.
Cantwell, Murray Announce $10.7 Million to Help Washington State Tribes Address Impacts of Climate Change via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
10 Tribes and 2 Tribal organizations receive grants funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that 10 Tribes and 2 Tribal organizations in Washington state will receive grants from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience to help combat the disproportionate impact of climate change on Tribal communities. The grants were made possible by new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Cantwell and Murray were leaders in negotiating and passing. Funding from the grants will help Tribes in Washington state with ocean and coastal planning, relocation, and climate adaption planning that protect Tribal lands and waters. A total of 21 grants were awarded, totaling $10,767,838.
Projects being funded include $2.1 million for the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe to relocate threatened shoreline homes, $2 million for the Makah Indian Tribe to relocate a community health center, and $1.6 million for the Spokane Tribe of Indians to upgrade their fish hatchery to use less water.
“This over $10.7 million federal investment will help Tribes and Tribal organizations in Washington state mitigate the impacts of sea level rise, drought, and climate-related threats to their communities and way of life,” said Senator Cantwell. “Washington state Tribes are located in the eye of the climate change storm. Some Tribes need to relocate buildings and homes now because of sea-level rise and the threat of tsunamis. Others are working to protect salmon and critical fisheries from warming water temperatures and drought, while other Tribes are simply trying to find ways to adapt to their changing lands and waters.”
“From devastating wildfires to road-buckling heat, climate change is real in Washington state and it’s having a disproportionate impact on our tribes. That’s why I fought hard to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest ever climate investment in American history, and it’s why I fought to bolster our climate resiliency—and get resources to communities bearing the biggest burden of climate disasters—via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Murray. “These critical resources coming to Washington state will do just that: help our tribes and our communities become more resilient to climate change and keep Tribal communities safe, including by relocating homes and community health centers.”
The grant recipients and total amounts are:
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians: $114,929 (3 grants)
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe: $1,259,719 (2 grants)
Lummi Nation: $146,049
Makah Indian Tribe: $2,356,574 (2 grants)
Point No Point Treaty Council: $145,854
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe: $2,302,800 (3 grants)
Quinault Indian Nation: $150,000.00
Samish Indian Nation: $116,637
Spokane Tribe of Indians: $1,839,990 (2 grants)
Suquamish Indian Tribe: $250,000
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community: $302,834 (2 grants)
Tulalip Tribes of Washington: $1,897,381 (2 grants)
Full descriptions including project details for each grant are available HERE.
Senators Cantwell and Murray have strongly supported funding through these programs through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This announcement is part of a $45 million nationwide investment, supported by $20 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $25 million from fiscal year 2022 annual appropriations.
(4) WORLD NEWS HEADLINES.
DPR Korea launches ‘unprecedented number’ of missiles, Security Council hears.
Source Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/11/1130227
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched “an unprecedented number” of cruise and ballistic missiles over the course of just 48 hours this week, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, told the Security Council in an emergency meeting on Friday.
And yet, despite having conducted missile tests on Wednesday and Thursday, Mohamed Khiari informed the ambassadors that DPRK, more commonly known commonly as North Korea, “has yet to publicly provide details” on the launches.
He pointed out that yesterday’s missile launch was “assessed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)”, which reportedly covered a range of 760 km, and reached a height of around 1,920 km, “indicating that…[it] may not have been successful”.
Guterres condemns ‘barrage’ of missiles
Shortly before the meeting began at UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement through his Spokesperson strongly condemning DPRK’s ICBM launch and “barrage” of other missiles over the past two days.
He called on the DPRK to immediately cease any further reckless acts and to comply fully with its international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions.
The UN chief expressed deep concern at the overall level of tension on the Korean Peninsula between north and south, and the increase in confrontational rhetoric.
Mr. Guterres strongly urged North Korea to immediately return to the negotiating table and asked the key parties to resume their diplomatic efforts with a view to achieving sustainable peace and a complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Flight, maritime safety
Briefing ambassadors on the details, Mohamed Khiari said one of the ballistic missiles launched on Wednesday reportedly fell into the sea near the territorial waters of the Republic of Korea, more commonly referred to as South Korea.
“It is troubling that the DPRK has consistently and irresponsibly disregarded any consideration for international flight or maritime safety,” said the senior UN official.
While DPRK’s National Aviation Administration stated on 8 October following an earlier launch, that operations did not pose a risk to civil aviation or the region as a whole, aircraft operators are required to assess the safety of their own flight operations.
“To meet this obligation, operators rely on coordination amongst air traffic services authorities, as well as the promulgation of timely information on hazards”, he explained.
‘Action-reaction cycle’
The Assistant Secretary-General reminded that the current meeting was the ninth time this year that the Council has met to discuss North Korea.
Following the last briefing on 5 October, he recalled the DPRK’s claim that its seven earlier missile launches were all part of “tactical nuclear operation units”.
“While all concerned seek to avoid an unintended escalation, the spate of missile launches and military exercises contributes to a negative action-reaction cycle”, underscored Mr. Khiari.
To lower the risk of miscalculation and reduce tensions in the region, he said it was “critical” that communication channels be strengthened, “including inter-Korean and military to military”.
Although the Secretariat remains in close contact with all parties, including North Korea, given the potential risks associated with any military confrontation, the UN official stressed that the Council must do all it can to prevent an escalation.
“Unity in the Security Council is critical,” he spelled out, adding that it “also creates an opportunity to seek off-ramps and sustained diplomatic engagement”.
Separately, Mr. Khiari drew attention to DPRK’s worrying humanitarian situation.
“The United Nations system, in coordination with international and humanitarian partners, is ready to send staff and assistance to help the DPRK Government address medical and humanitarian needs, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic”, he offered.
To allow for a timely and effective response, the Assistant Secretary-General reiterated the call for “unimpeded entry of international staff and humanitarian supplies”.
He concluded by reiterating that “the unity of the Security Council in this matter is essential to ease tensions, overcome the diplomatic impasse and the negative action-reaction cycle”.
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Meeting on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Recent Ballistic Missile.--USUN
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Assistant-Secretary-General Khiari, for your informative briefing.
Over the last week and a half, the DPRK has exacerbated an extremely worrisome trend that we have seen all year: An increased number of launches, in flagrant violation of the Security Council resolutions, destabilizing and threatening rhetoric, and continued escalations.
The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms all 13 recent DPRK ballistic missile launches since October 27. But the DPRK’s latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile – the seventh ICBM this year – is particularly concerning. As is the unprecedented impact of a ballistic missile just about 50 kilometers – or 30 miles – from the Republic of Korea’s shoreline.
This is about more than just advancing the DPRK’s unlawful military capabilities and undermining the global nonproliferation regime. This is also about the DPRK trying to purposely raise tensions and stoke fear in its neighbors.
So let me be clear: These actions are not actions of a responsible State. The DPRK has now launched a staggering 59 ballistic missiles this year. That’s right – 59. For a UN Member State to so flagrantly violate the Security Council resolutions, and all that the UN Charter stands for, is appalling.
Equally appalling is the Council’s deafening silence on this issue. Thirteen Council members have joined in condemning the DPRK’s unlawful actions since the beginning of the year. And thirteen Council members have joined in voting to impose costs on the DPRK that would impede its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile pursuits, while seeking new avenues to improve humanitarian assistance to the country’s people.
The DPRK, however, has enjoyed blanket protection from two members of this Council. These members have bent over backwards to justify the DPRK’s repeated violations. And, in turn, they have enabled the DPRK and made a mockery of this Council. This cannot stand. The risks to the region and the world are simply too great.
I want to remind this Council of our responsibility to protect global peace and security, defend the global nonproliferation regime, and uphold Security Council resolutions. You don’t get to abandon Security Council responsibilities because the DPRK might sell you weapons to fuel your war of aggression in Ukraine, or because you think they make a good regional buffer to the United States.
We have heard these two Council members claim the United States and the Republic of Korea have stoked tensions on the Korean Peninsula with military exercises. This is nothing but a regurgitation of DPRK propaganda and a misleading narrative. The United States and the Republic of Korea are engaging in longstanding – longstanding – defensive military exercises that pose no threat to anyone, never mind the DPRK.
In contrast, just last month, the DPRK said its flurry of recent launches were the simulated use of tactical battlefield nuclear weapons to “hit and wipe out” potential U.S. and Republic of Korea targets. The DPRK is simply using this as an excuse to continue to advance its unlawful programs.
Even in the face of the DPRK’s escalations, the United States remains committed to a diplomatic solution. We have conveyed to the DPRK our request to engage in talks at all levels of our government. Despite a lack of engagement from Pyongyang, we will continue to pursue meaningful dialogue. We call on the DPRK to abandon its provocative behavior and at long last turn to diplomacy.
Colleagues, the credibility of this Council is at risk. The security of every UN Member State is at risk. We must fully implement the relevant Security Council resolutions necessary to impede the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile advancements. Full implementation includes holding the DPRK accountable for its violations of these resolutions, as we unanimously committed to do in Resolution 2397 following an ICBM launch.
I urge all Council members to condemn and address the DPRK’s dangerous and unlawful behavior. This moment demands – this moment demands Council unity.
Thank you, Mr. President.
(5) NATIONAL & BUSINESS HEADLINES
NATIONAL HEADLINE
FACT SHEET: By The Numbers: Millions of Americans Would Lose Health Care Coverage, Benefits, and Protections Under Congressional Republicans’ Plans.--WH
President Biden’s top priority is to lower costs for the American people. He was proud to sign the Inflation Reduction Act into law, taking on Big Pharma to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs for the first time, capping seniors’ drug costs at the pharmacy and the cost of insulin, and lowering health insurance premiums for people who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act. President Biden and Congressional Democrats are committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.
Congressional Republicans have a very different vision. They have promised to strip Medicare of the right to negotiate drug prices and remove the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket pharmacy expenses. Florida’s Republican Senator and Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee Rick Scott has championed a plan to put Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security on the chopping block every five years. Further, Congressional Republicans have repeatedly pledged to hold the American economy hostage by refusing to raise the debt limit unless they can cut Social Security and Medicare benefits that tens of millions of Americans have already paid into.
Here’s what Congressional Republicans’ plan would mean:
Part I: Putting Bedrock Programs like Social Security and Medicare on the Chopping Block and Threatening the Global Economy Unless Those Programs Are Cut
All Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security beneficiaries would see their benefits threatened under Sen. Rick Scott’s plan to put those programs on the chopping block every five years. Sen. Ron Johnson’s vision of putting them up for a vote every year would make that even worse.
Congressional Republican leaders have also repeatedly said they will use the debt limit as leverage to cut these bedrock programs. Congressional Republicans have supported Medicare and Social Security cuts including:
Gradually increasing the Medicare eligibility age to 67 and the Social Security eligibility age to 70. (Republican Study Committee FY 2023 Budget)
Transforming Medicare benefits into a voucher where seniors would get a fixed amount of money to purchase a private health plan (Better Way Plan) or offering beneficiaries the option to transition to a premium support system (Republican Study Committee FY 2023 Budget) – which could lead to hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional out of pocket costs for seniors throughout the country.
Part II: Repealing the Prescription Drug and Health Care Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act
President Biden has worked for decades to let Medicare negotiate drug prices, and that is finally happening thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. This will save billions of dollars for both Medicare beneficiaries, who will see reduced premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and the federal government. Kaiser Family Foundation estimates suggest that some 5 to 7 million beneficiaries each year use the types of high-cost drugs that could be subject to negotiation and will directly face higher cost sharing if these provisions are repealed.
The Inflation Reduction Act also requires prescription drug companies to pay rebates if they increase drug prices faster than inflation. According to an analysis by the Department of Health and Human Services, the cost of 1,200 prescription drugs rose faster than inflation in the last year alone – some prescription drugs increasing by $1000 in just one year. If Congressional Republicans repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, drug companies will be able to continue raising prices without paying a rebate, rather than putting that money back into Americans’ pockets.
Before the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare beneficiaries with conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and lung disease could face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket prescription drug costs per year. Thanks to President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, those costs will be capped at $2,000 per year, saving over 1 million beneficiaries an average of over $1,300 per year. If Congressional Republicans get their way and repeal the law, over 1.4 million Medicare beneficiaries will pay more each year – thousands of dollars more in some cases – for drugs at the pharmacy.
Drug manufacturers have raised insulin prices so rapidly over the last few decades that some Medicare beneficiaries struggle to afford this life-saving drug that costs less than $10 a vial to manufacture. Today, Medicare beneficiaries are enrolling in plans that must cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at no more than $35 per month per prescription, a protection they will lose if the law is repealed.
The Inflation Reduction Act saves 13 million Americans an average of about $800 per year on their health care premiums, by continuing the improvements to Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits enacted in the American Rescue Plan. By making health care more affordable, these improvements have expanded coverage to millions of people, helping bring the uninsured rate to an all-time low. Starting today, during Open Enrollment season, Americans can choose health insurance plans that lock in the Inflation Reduction Act’s cost savings for 2023. But Congressional Republicans would repeal this assistance, drive premiums higher, and jeopardize the progress the Biden Administration has made in driving the uninsured rate to a historic low. Older Americans would see especially large premium spikes; in most states, annual premiums for a 60-year old making $60,000 would more than double to over $10,000
BUSINESS HEADLINE.
Treasury Seeks Public Input on Additional Clean Energy Tax Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act.
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1077
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today issued three additional notices requesting public input on key climate and clean energy tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. The trio of notices follows an initial set of notices requesting comment the Department issued in October.
These Notices are part of Treasury’s ongoing efforts to engage a broad spectrum of taxpayers and stakeholders to inform its work implementing the Inflation Reduction Act. Nearly three-quarters of the bill’s $369 billion climate change investment - $270 billion – is delivered through tax incentives, putting the Department at the forefront of this landmark legislation.
In addition to these Notices requesting public comment, the Department has also been hosting a series of roundtable discussions with key stakeholder groups representing thousands of companies, millions of workers, and trillions of dollars in investment assets, as well as climate and environmental justice advocates, labor unions, community-based organizations, and other key actors that are critical to the success of the Inflation Reduction Act.
And last week, the Department announced it will host Tribal Consultations in late November and a Consultation with Alaskan Native Corporations (ANCs) in early December on key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that affect Indian Tribal governments and ANCs.
The Notices issued today seek comment from the public on tax incentives related to: (1) commercial clean vehicles and alternative fuel vehicle refueling property, (2) carbon capture, and (3) clean hydrogen and clean fuel production. Those interested in providing feedback should follow the instructions in the Notices and reply as soon as possible, ideally by December 3, 2022.
Additional background on the Treasury Department’s work to implement the Inflation Reduction Act:
August 16, 2022: Treasury Releases Initial Information on Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Under Newly Enacted Inflation Reduction Act
October 5, 2022: Treasury Seeks Public Input on Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act’s Clean Energy Tax Incentives
FACT SHEET: Treasury, IRS Open Public Comment on Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act’s Clean Energy Tax Incentives
October 26, 2022: READOUT: Stakeholder Roundtable on Clean Power Generation and the Inflation Reduction Act
October 27, 2022: READOUT: Stakeholder Roundtable on Climate Impact, Equity, and the Inflation Reduction Act
FACT SHEET: Four ways the Inflation Reduction Act’s Tax Incentives Will Support Building an Equitable Clean Energy Economy
October 31, 2022: READOUT: Stakeholder Roundtable on Investor Perspectives on Climate Change, Clean Energy, and the Inflation Reduction Act
(6) LOCAL MEETINGS
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS.
Clallam County Commission work session for 11/7/22
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11072022-485
Clallam County Commission board meeting for 11/8/22
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11082022-487
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS
Jefferson County Board meeting for 11/7/22
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/436e4c06-9432-4bd3-9362-570863f3d1fe
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
For 11/7/22
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=1712
