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Good morning and welcome to The Climate 202! Congrats to our colleague Steven Mufson, who is <a href="https://twitter.com/RoigFranzia/status/1661365806410727425?s=20">retiring at the end of the month</a> after an incredible 34-year run at The Washington Post, where he shared a 2020 Pulitzer Prize for the “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-world/?itid=lk_inline_manual_1&amp;itid=lk_inline_manual_1">2C: Beyond the Limit</a>” series. We’ve learned so much from him about climate reporting (and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/04/03/vivek-ramaswamy-2024-presidential-gop/">mediocre pancake breakfasts</a>).

Not a subscriber?<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/newsletters/the-climate-202/?itid=lk_inline_manual_3"> Sign up for The Climate 202 to get scoops and sharp analysis in your inbox each morning.</a>

Below, we have an exclusive on new climate legislation from Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Summer L. Lee (D-Pa.). But first:

California could require large companies to disclose their emissions, regardless of the SEC

David Paul Morris

Back in February, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/06/three-ambitious-climate-bills-watch-california/">we reported on an ambitious package</a> of climate bills in California. Today, we’re revisiting those measures, which could pass the state Senate as soon as this week.

One of the bills in particular could have implications far beyond California’s borders. The measure would require large companies in the Golden State to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, even as the Securities and Exchange Commission <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/02/biden-corporate-climate-change-disclosure/">considers whittling</a> a similar rule in the face of looming legal challenges.

Since many businesses that operate in California are also active nationally, the rule could sustain stricter reporting requirements even if federal mandates are pared down.

“Given the size of California’s economy — we’re now the fourth-largest economy in the world — a very large percentage of large corporations are doing business in California,” state Sen. Scott Wiener (D), who introduced the bill, told The Climate 202. “So this will be very impactful.”

Under <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB253#">Senate Bill 253</a>, known as the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, companies that bring in at least $1 billion in revenue and do business in California would have to annually report their emissions to the public.&nbsp;

The measure closely resembles a landmark rule that the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/21/sec-climate-change-rule/">SEC proposed last spring</a>. The rule would similarly require all publicly traded companies to disclose their emissions and the financial risks they face from climate change.

But in two key ways, the California legislation is more ambitious and far-reaching than the federal proposal.

First, the California bill would apply to both privately owned and publicly traded companies, whereas the SEC proposal would affect only the latter.

Second, the California bill would require companies to disclose their scope 3 emissions, or those produced by customers and suppliers. SEC Chair Gary Gensler <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/06/sec-chairman-gensler-hints-that-agency-could-scale-back-scope-3-emissions-disclosure.html">has hinted</a> that the commission is considering dropping the scope 3 requirements to help the rule survive expected legal challenges.

“This has far more implications than the SEC’s rule,” Wiener said. “Scope 3 is very important, and for a lot of companies, it is 90 percent or more of the company’s carbon emissions. So if you remove scope 3, it really dramatically reduces what’s being disclosed.”

SEC spokeswoman Aisha Johnson declined to comment for this report.

Not everyone is on board with the California bill. Dozens of businesses and industry groups have voiced opposition to the measure.

Opponents in the fossil fuel industry include the Western States Petroleum Association and the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance.

Wells Fargo and the burger chain In-N-Out have also <a href="https://www.levernews.com/why-in-n-out-burger-is-fighting-a-landmark-climate-bill/">reportedly lobbied</a> against the legislation.

Kevin Slagle, a spokesman for the petroleum association, told The Climate 202 that it “may be impossible” to meet the “very costly and expensive reporting requirements” in the legislation, especially the scope 3 mandates.

“When you look at scope 3 emissions, some of those emissions may occur in China or India or some other part of the world,” Slagle said. “And so you’re punishing California businesses that have global reach.”

Steven Rothstein, managing director of the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets, strongly pushed back on this assessment. He said a lot of large corporations already voluntarily disclose this information, and businesses need to prepare now for emissions reporting requirements that will <a href="https://www.ceres.org/events/who-what-and-when-eu-csrd">take effect in Europe</a> in the coming years.

“If you’re a large multinational company and you operate in California, it’s important to understand that even if this bill doesn’t pass, you will have other disclosure requirements that will be kicking in,” he said.

It’s also worth revisiting another major climate bill that could pass the state Senate as soon as today. <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB252">Senate Bill 252</a>, which was introduced by Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D), would require California’s pension funds to divest from the 200 largest oil, gas and coal companies by July 2031.&nbsp;

Climate activists say the measure would prevent the retirement savings of the state’s teachers, firefighters and other public employees from being used to finance fossil fuels at a time when California faces a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/01/10/california-climate-atmospheric-rivers-drought/">climate-change-fueled drought</a> and a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/california-fires-home-prices/">relentless wildfire season</a>.

“Teachers should be well aware that they are funding the very climate chaos that’s keeping some of their students from being able to fully participate at school,” Miguel Alatorre, campaigns organizer with Fossil Free California, told The Climate 202.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), which rank as the two biggest public pension funds in the country, have both voiced concerns about the bill.

CalPERS spokesman John Myers said the bill would force the fund to sell fossil fuel investments currently worth at least $9.3 billion.

CalSTRS spokeswoman Rebecca Forée said in an email that “divestment ignores the larger climate risks from different sectors that CalSTRS is working to address, and it would divert resources away from CalSTRS’ efforts to achieve net zero.”

Alex Stack, a spokesman for California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), declined to say whether the governor would sign the bills if they reached his desk. “We typically don’t comment on pending legislation,” Stack said in an email.

Exclusive: Democrats unveil bill to provide hazard pay during climate disasters

Bill Sikes

Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Reps. Summer L. Lee (D-Pa.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) will introduce legislation today to boost hazard pay and implement better safety measures for health-care workers during extreme weather events fueled by climate change, according to details shared exclusively with The Climate 202.&nbsp;

The Hazard Pay for Health Care Heroes Act would empower Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to issue hazard pay grants of up to $13 per hour, or $25,000 per year, to health-care workers who provide patients with uninterrupted care during emergencies and extreme weather disasters. The bill would also help provide these workers with additional personal protective equipment and alternative transit.

The measure comes after a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology found that a simultaneous heat wave and blackout in Phoenix would cause <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/climate/blackout-heat-wave-danger.html">nearly half of the city’s residents</a> to need emergency medical care for severe heat-related illness.

“Health care workers are on the frontlines of our nation’s dual public health and climate crises, treating and tending to communities hit hardest by extreme weather and environmental disasters,” Markey said in a statement. “These heroes deserve more than our gratitude — they deserve better pay and stronger protections.”

Co-sponsors of the bill include Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Gwen Moore (D-Wis.).

House committee votes to ban Russian uranium and block gas stove rules

DANIEL ACKER

The House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday approved a bill that would <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/16/congress-banned-russian-oil-gas-imports-will-uranium-be-next/">ban Russian uranium imports</a>, sending it to the House floor for a vote.&nbsp;

The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act would immediately ban Russian uranium imports but allow the Energy Department to issue waivers to utilities that would otherwise need to shut down nuclear reactors. Those utilities would be able to continue importing limited amounts of the metal from Russia, which still supplies more than 20 percent of U.S. nuclear fuel, until 2028.

The measure was introduced by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), who chairs the full committee, and Rep. Robert E. Latta (R-Ohio), chair of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week approved a similar bill from Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) to cut off Russian uranium imports and establish a domestic supply chain.&nbsp;

The House panel also voted to pass a bill to block the Energy Department’s new efficiency standards for gas and electric stoves. According to the agency, the draft rule would reduce energy use by about 30 percent for both gas and electric stove models — but it would not ban gas stoves outright, which has become a common GOP talking point.&nbsp;

“Despite attempts to misinform the public and undermine efforts to lower energy bills nationwide, the American people continue to support the Department's actions that are saving them money,” Energy Department spokeswoman Charisma Troiano said in an email.

Minnesota governor signs EV rebates into law

Steve Karnowski

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) yesterday signed into law new electric vehicle rebates and other spending on clean transportation approved by the Democratic-controlled state legislature.

The law authorizes $216 million in additional spending on energy initiatives, including $15.7 million in rebates for buying or leasing EVs and $13.6 million for efforts to establish a statewide EV charging network.

Brendan Jordan, vice president for transportation and fuels at the Great Plains Institute, said in a statement that the new investments would “transform Minnesota into a regional and perhaps national leader in the EV adoption effort.”

Walz in February signed legislation requiring <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/18/democrats-minnesota-move-require-100-clean-electricity-by-2040/">100 percent clean electricity</a> in the state by 2040. Minnesota Democrats also used their “trifecta” — control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the legislature — to deliver on many other liberal priorities, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/24/while-you-werent-looking-minnesota-dems-won-big/">The Washington Post’s Olivier Knox reports</a>.

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/shannon-osaka/?itid=lk_inline_manual_77">France is banning some short flights. Should the U.S. follow?</a> — Shannon Osaka for The Post

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/24/germany-last-generation-raids-environmental/?itid=lk_inline_manual_78">Germany conducts raids against climate activists, alleging criminality</a> — Kate Brady for The Post &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/05/24/typhoon-mawar-guam-updates/?itid=lk_inline_manual_79">Typhoon Mawar brings punishing winds, power outages to Guam</a> — Rachel Pannett, Annabelle Timsit, Anumita Kaur and Ian Livingston for The Post&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/24/23733231/tiktok-joe-rogan-podcast-climate-misinformation">A fake climate change theory is going viral on TikTok after Joe Rogan talked about it </a>— Justine Calma for the Verge&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/politics/solar-panel-tariff-biden-veto/index.html">House fails to override Biden veto on solar panel tariff measure</a> — Clare Foran for CNN

Dateline Award from the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, 2021

Brown University, BA in English

Maxine Joselow is a staff writer who covers climate change and the environment.

Maxine Joselow

American University, BA in Journalism and Sociology 

American University, MA in Journalism and Public Affairs, Investigative Specialty 

Vanessa Montalbano is a researcher for The Climate 202, a daily morning newsletter at The Washington Post that keeps readers up to date on climate news and policy.

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