SB 105-07: Climate Preparedness Act of 2021 (Rejected)

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Climate Preparedness Act of 2021
To mitigate the effects of climate change while enhancing national preparedness for exigencies

Section 1. Purpose and Background

a) Unsustainable global greenhouse gas emissions levels continue to challenge the nation's residents, wildlife, and natural resources.

b) Rising average temperatures, shrinking mountain snowpack, warmer storms, higher sea levels, and more extreme and prevalent natural disasters, including, but not limited to, floods, landslides, and wildfires increasingly threaten the safety, health, financial well-being, and housing stability of the people of Atlasia.

c) Continued investments to protect and enhance the nation's natural and built resources and infrastructure is necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

d) Meeting the community and climate needs requires a commitment to integrating climate strategies in the national economy, infrastructure, public services, and workforce sectors.

e) The nation's existing employment needs have been intensified because of the declared state of emergency and the recession due to the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

f) Achieving the nation's climate goals requires the development of an expanded and skilled workforce and clear and meaningful opportunities for the people of Atlasia to receive the education, training, and certifications necessary to enter into growing natural resources and climate careers.

g) Parallel and intentional investments in climate projects and workforce development are effective and efficient strategies to protect the state from the impacts of climate change and offer sustainable economic relief within the job market to the people of Atlasia.

Section 2. Establishment

1) Each entity shall establish an independent a grant program according to the entity's respective governing statutes and strategic plans or work plans adopted by the entity. The grant programs shall fund climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience, natural disaster, and other climate emergency projects that accomplish both of the following:

a) Reduce the risks of, or mitigate, climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities, including education, training, certifications, or placement services for jobs and careers in the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Before awarding a grant pursuant to this section, an entity shall develop and adopt guidelines for its independent grant program according to all of the following:

2) At a minimum, the entity's adopted guidelines shall include, as criteria to qualify for a grant, all of the following:

a) Require climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience projects that reduce the risks of or mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or that mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Require projects that provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities that support education, training, certifications, or career pathways that prepare individuals to enter into the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Define eligible applicants to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

i. Nonprofit organizations and community-based organizations.

ii. Certification programs or workforce training organizations, including, but not limited to, certification programs and workforce training organizations associated with trade schools or institutions.

iii. Vocational rehabilitation programs.

Sponsor: Spark

The gentleman from Florida is recognized.

[S019]

I'm not sure what this is supposed to achieve, anyways if we truly want to mitigate climate change, we need all the major countries of the world to agree to Net Zero by 2050, the steps we can take here would be a total phase out of fossil fuels by 2030 (maybe this has been done already, I don't know), and also a significant hike in the carbon tax to move people away from fossil fuels, so we don't have people on December 31, 2029, rushing to switch to electric.

[Senator-elect Spark]

I'm not sure what this is supposed to achieve, anyways if we truly want to mitigate climate change, we need all the major countries of the world to agree to Net Zero by 2050, the steps we can take here would be a total phase out of fossil fuels by 2030 (maybe this has been done already, I don't know), and also a significant hike in the carbon tax to move people away from fossil fuels, so we don't have people on December 31, 2029, rushing to switch to electric.

These grants will help train workers to prepare and respond better to natural disasters and improve coordination to save lives. A carbon tax is not a great idea as it reduces producer surplus and puts a strain on businesses.

[S019]

I'm not sure what this is supposed to achieve, anyways if we truly want to mitigate climate change, we need all the major countries of the world to agree to Net Zero by 2050, the steps we can take here would be a total phase out of fossil fuels by 2030 (maybe this has been done already, I don't know), and also a significant hike in the carbon tax to move people away from fossil fuels, so we don't have people on December 31, 2029, rushing to switch to electric.

These grants will help train workers to prepare and respond better to natural disasters and improve coordination to save lives. A carbon tax is not a great idea as it reduces producer surplus and puts a strain on businesses.

okay, but as this is this is just a resolution, and has no teeth or implementation details. Also we already have a carbon tax, and what producer surplus are we talking about? We don't want people using carbon at all, ideally. Also the businesses that it puts a strain on would be industries that we need to aggressively phase out.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

This bill needs some more detail for it to be implementable. What are the thresholds and limits for this hypothetical grant program? What is "entity" defined as? Is this being administered federally or devolved to the regions?

[Senator-elect Spark]

This bill needs some more detail for it to be implementable. What are the thresholds and limits for this hypothetical grant program? What is "entity" defined as? Is this being administered federally or devolved to the regions?

This is a federal program and entity is a state or nonprofit organization. Thresholds can be added as amendments. I will inform my colleagues whether the amendments are friendly.

I yield.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This got lost in the Atlas crash earlier this evening. I saved part of it but some of the later portions were not copy and pasted to a notepad document and thus lost completely. I will try to finish my thoughts later.

Historically I was against both the carbon tax and cap and trade, but I opposed the latter more and if given a binary choice would opt for the former or preservation of the former as opposed to switching to the latter.

This came up several times in 2009-2011 and I often broke with AHDuke99 because he was firmly as a John McCain/2008 Lindsay Graham/2008 Rudy (it's is absolutely ridiculous that I need to quantify this concept with a year now ), a supporter of the cap and trade concept.

I was more of the "drill, baby drill" mindset as expressed by Michael Steele at the 2008 RNC, but with the additional support of research into alternatives, nuclear and a general "diversification strategy". I also viewed cap and trade as basically another form of paper financial scheming of the like that had just collapsed Wall Street and the connection between Cap and Trade and Enron was also on my mind at the time.

As a result of this I would routinely vote against switching to a cap and trade system and thus as a result maintain the current carbon tax that we had the time. I was also dubious about the concept in 2017 when Fhtagn supported its reinstatement (post reset).

However, in recent times I do see some of the point behind it in that it quantifies in dollars the cost to society similar to how sin taxes (while a bad source of revenue) discourage behaviors that have uncovered societal costs (drunk driving, tobacco related illness etc) while also providing money for those uncovered costs. The Carbon Tax functions similarly in that incentivizes a push towards more efficient technology, while also providing costs for both climate mitigation and research into alternative energy.

I do understand the concern about it harming business, but on the other hand if business is profiting off of some costly negative to the society and not paying for that as a part of its business model, it is essentially stealing that to make money.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Ideas for thresholds? Amendments?

[Joseph Cao]

I do think a large part of this bill's aims essentially fall under the purview of Interior/SBA/other relevant federal agencies, and in that sense it might be workable to allocate a certain proportion of appropriations going toward each such entity to fund the kinds of grant programs Spark is proposing here. Might also make things easier when we inevitably have to fold this into the budget next year.

As for specific thresholds those might be better determined administratively, by each agency, as a proportion of the funds each of them receives. Given how broad the bill's scope is it seems difficult to pin down a precise figure that wouldn't be wildly off for some section or other.

[WD]

Motioning to table

[Senator-elect Spark]

I object.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Offering an amendment:

Section 2. Establishment

i. Entity shall be defined as "any organization whose mission is dedicated to research and development in a respective region of the Republic of Atlasia."

1) Each entity shall establish an independent a grant program according to the entity's respective governing statutes and strategic plans or work plans adopted by the entity. The grant programs shall fund climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience, natural disaster, and other climate emergency projects that accomplish both of the following:

a) Reduce the risks of, or mitigate, climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities, including education, training, certifications, or placement services for jobs and careers in the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Before awarding a grant pursuant to this section, an entity shall develop and adopt guidelines for its independent grant program according to all of the following:

2) At a minimum, the entity's adopted guidelines shall include, as criteria to qualify for a grant, all of the following:

a) Require climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience projects that reduce the risks of or mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or that mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Require projects that provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities that support education, training, certifications, or career pathways that prepare individuals to enter into the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Define eligible applicants to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

i. Nonprofit organizations and community-based organizations.

ii. Certification programs or workforce training organizations, including, but not limited to, certification programs and workforce training organizations associated with trade schools or institutions.

iii. Vocational rehabilitation programs.

Section 3. Fund establishment

a. Grant amounts should be no less than $15,000,000.

b. Grants shall be distributed by a general fund contributed to by these entities in each region.

c. Each region's legislature shall administer the grant funding to the entities requiring workforce training and climate mitigation/protection.

d. The threshold for each entity's needs shall be the discretion of the regional legislature.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Senators have 24 hours to object to the amendment.

I also like Cao's idea to make this bill is a bit more workable. We never dissolved any of these government agencies or departments (although they are no longer directed by appointees, for obvious reasons) and they are the ones that are responsible for managing grant programs.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object to the amendment.

I also like Cao's idea to make this bill is a bit more workable. We never dissolved any of these government agencies or departments (although they are no longer directed by appointees, for obvious reasons) and they are the ones that are responsible for managing grant programs.

Its been accepted that they work under the umbrella of the larger departments that they are subordinate too.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Also the amendment is adopted.

[Joseph Cao]

Might have been the effect of working on amendments at 3am but I think I'd appreciate a clarification from Spark about whether these entities are defined strictly as nonprofits, independent organizations, regional programs etc. that lie strictly under the purview of regional legislatures. If that is the case and federal programs are cut out then my pending amendment (regarding my earlier thoughts) will need to loop them in somehow.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Might have been the effect of working on amendments at 3am but I think I'd appreciate a clarification from Spark about whether these entities are defined strictly as nonprofits, independent organizations, regional programs etc. that lie strictly under the purview of regional legislatures. If that is the case and federal programs are cut out then my pending amendment (regarding my earlier thoughts) will need to loop them in somehow.

An entity can be defined as any of those described. We do need to incorporate this federal funding for regional programs. Unfunded mandates are the worst thing.

[Joseph Cao]

All right, let's see how this goes.

Climate Preparedness Act of 2021
To mitigate the effects of climate change while enhancing national preparedness for exigencies

Section 1. Purpose and Background

a) Unsustainable global greenhouse gas emissions levels continue to challenge the nation's residents, wildlife, and natural resources.

b) Rising average temperatures, shrinking mountain snowpack, warmer storms, higher sea levels, and more extreme and prevalent natural disasters, including, but not limited to, floods, landslides, and wildfires increasingly threaten the safety, health, financial well-being, and housing stability of the people of Atlasia.

c) Continued investments to protect and enhance the nation's natural and built resources and infrastructure is necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

d) Meeting the community and climate needs requires a commitment to integrating climate strategies in the national economy, infrastructure, public services, and workforce sectors.

e) The nation's existing employment needs have been intensified because of the declared state of emergency and the recession due to the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

f) Achieving the nation's climate goals requires the development of an expanded and skilled workforce and clear and meaningful opportunities for the people of Atlasia to receive the education, training, and certifications necessary to enter into growing natural resources and climate careers.

g) Parallel and intentional investments in climate projects and workforce development are effective and efficient strategies to protect the state from the impacts of climate change and offer sustainable economic relief within the job market to the people of Atlasia.

Section 2. Establishment

1) Each entity shall establish an independent grant program according to the entity's respective governing statutes and strategic plans or work plans adopted by the entity. The grant programs shall fund climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience, natural disaster, and other climate emergency projects that accomplish both of the following:

a) Reduce the risks of, or mitigate, climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities, including education, training, certifications, or placement services for jobs and careers in the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Before awarding a grant pursuant to this section, an entity shall develop and adopt guidelines for its independent grant program according to all of the following:

2) At a minimum, the entity's adopted guidelines shall include, as criteria to qualify for a grant, all of the following:

a) Require climate mitigation, adaptation, or resilience projects that reduce the risks of or mitigate climate change impacts on vulnerable communities, fish and wildlife, or natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources; or that mitigate, prepare for, respond to, or support recovery from natural disasters or other climate emergencies.

b) Require projects that provide comprehensive workforce development opportunities that support education, training, certifications, or career pathways that prepare individuals to enter into the natural, cultural, historical, or tribal resources fields.

c) Define eligible applicants to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

i. Nonprofit organizations and community-based organizations.

ii. Certification programs or workforce training organizations, including, but not limited to, certification programs and workforce training organizations associated with trade schools or institutions.

iii. Vocational rehabilitation programs.

Section 3. Fund establishment

a) Grant amounts should be no less than $15,000,000.

b) Grants shall be distributed by a general fund contributed to by these entities in each region. Applicants shall also be eligible for federal funding from the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, the Department of Labor, or other relevant departments drawn from federal appropriations to these departments.

i. The amount provided by each federal department shall be determined according to an evaluation of the project's relevance to each department.

ii. Each department shall adopt its own individual threshold for purposes of funding grants.

iii. Individual grant funding thresholds shall be determined as a proportion of departmental funds received for purposes of natural resources, community and regional development, or training under the relevant sections of the Federal Budget.


c) Each region's legislature shall administer the grant funding to the entities requiring workforce training and climate mitigation/protection.

d) The threshold for each entity's needs shall be the discretion of the regional legislature.

[Senator-elect Spark]

No objection to the amendment.

[Joseph Cao]

I heavily doubt anyone will do so, but other Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Joseph Cao]

Amendment adopted.

I think we can move to a final vote here?

[Continential]

A vote has been started.

[If my soul was made of stone]

PRESENT

[Senator-elect Spark]

Aye

[WD]

Nay