U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) introduced legislation designed to reduce emissions and increase use of clean energy sources for the Department of Defense (DoD).
The National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act (H.R. 7417) would enact Obama-era standards, which were revoked in 2018. The DoD was responsible for 45 percent of all federal government emissions last year. This bill would require the DoD to achieve net zero energy and water or waste consumption by 2035. Further, it would require the DoD to develop an annual strategic sustainability plan to submit to Congress each year.
“Climate change is an existential threat to our national security, and the Department of Defense must combat global warming as it would any other threat,” Casten said. “The US federal government consumed nearly 900 trillion mmbtu of energy and emitted nearly 37 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from standard operations in 2019. At a time when the executive branch has ceded its national and international leadership on climate change, we must demand that the federal government do better. Reducing DoD emissions through the National Security Resiliency and Sustainability Act is one of the easiest steps Congress can take to reduce climate change and help ensure national security.”
The bill also has controls in place to make sure that its requirements do not impact military readiness or capabilities. Its requirements would only apply to DoD facilities located in the US. In addition, the bill would allow the Secretary of Defense to waive its requirements if they determine it within the country’s national security interest.