"State legislatures around the country have shown a burst of reception for bills that lower carbon emissions, and they’re turning to funding from last year’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law.
Democratic-led legislatures this year have already tackled climate change directly. Maryland passed a Climate Solutions Now act to accelerate emissions reduction. Washington and Illinois built on their 2021 landmark cap-and-trade and clean energy workforce transition bills respectively. Still in session, California and Massachusetts are advancing new climate packages.
Some Republican-led states such as Nebraska and South Carolina, despite resistance to sweeping plans framed as climate action, are nonetheless lowering greenhouse gas emissions as they move to clean energy because of its long-term economic benefits over fossil fuels.
States are filling a void left by the federal government after Democrats’ “Build Back Better Act” and its $550 billion clean energy tax credits stalled last year. In bills big and small, states are harnessing the infrastructure boost to reduce transportation emissions, clean up energy sectors, and promote electrification. Advocates say it’s not enough to reach US goals, but it’s a significant start."
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