Mayor Daniel Biss has joined other prominent individuals across the country in endorsing the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA). The bill, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Jan Schakowsky and 85 other representatives, includes an economywide price on carbon that will drive America to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Under the EICDA plan, fees collected from fossil fuel companies go to Americans in the form of a monthly dividend to spend with no restrictions. This protects low-and-middle-income Americans who otherwise might not be able to afford the transition to a clean energy economy.
Evanston’s own Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), which has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, supports placing a price on carbon.
Mayor Biss has stated that climate change is perhaps the most severe problem in human history. In his election campaign, Mayor Biss expressed support for increasing funding to Evanston’s Office of Sustainability to improve implementation of the goals set out in the plan. Implementing the goals outlined in the CARP are an important priority for Mayor Biss.
Members of the Evanston chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a national bipartisan organization that advocates for solutions to climate change, and Bob Heuer, chair of the Climate Action Team for the Democratic Party of Evanston, recently met with Mayor Biss to discuss his climate policies.
In reflecting on this meeting, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Evanston chapter co-leader Laura Winston said, “We appreciate the time that Mayor Biss took to meet with us, to review the text of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act and to make this endorsement.” Chapter co-leader Joan Muller added, “It was clear that Mayor Biss is committed not only to addressing climate change locally, but he is also willing to use his position to speak out on broader climate solutions that will positively impact our entire country.”
Mayor Biss is to be applauded for his support of effective climate solutions.
Sheila Brown,
Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Evanston chapter
Thank you so much, Mayor Biss! I know many fellow Evanstonians who, like I, are grateful for this support of something that affects us all and that we can’t afford to put off addressing any longer.
I am not surprised, but so pleased nevertheless, to see Mayor Biss’ endorsement. We need more public figures to take a stand. The issue has become so obviously necessary that they would do damage to their image not to say something!