Milwaukee Dems Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde and Sen. Chris Larson presented a framework for future legislation building on Gov. Tony Evers’ clean energy plan.
The lawmakers, joined by climate advocates from Citizen Action Wisconsin, said yesterday the developing package will be introduced during the next legislative session. Moore Omokunde praised Evers’ clean energy plan and said he and Larson aim to codify tenets of the plan into law.
The climate proposal includes measures to:
*Set greenhouse gas emissions standards for 2030 and 2050 to comply with the Paris Climate Accords;
*Transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy; and
*Establish a program to hire workers displaced by the transition to renewable energy with long-term, green energy jobs.
Also included are previously introduced bills that did not receive a hearing in the GOP-run Legislature. The bills aim to help Wisconsinites save on energy costs, particularly those struggling the most from the effects of climate change.
Larson noted the storms in Wisconsin this week and severe weather across the country to demonstrate the severity of climate change.
“This is a constant reminder from the planet that we have altered the ecosystem to a point where we need to be doing something about it to address the existential crisis of climate change,” Larson said.
When asked if he had spoken to Republicans about the package, Moore Omokunde said he had spoken to Republicans about climate justice in general. Moore Omokunde also told reporters he had spoken to constituents in districts represented by Republicans who asked him for help to address climate change.
“Climate change doesn’t discriminate based upon whether or not you have a D or a R in front of your name,” Moore Omokunde said.
Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told WisPolitics.com the proposal would increase already high costs for Wisconsinites.
“The Democrats’ answer to skyrocketing gas prices and the possibility of summer brownouts is to triple down on the ‘Green New Deal’ disaster that would accelerate the pain on family budgets,” the Oostburg Republican said. “Millions of Wisconsinites are getting crushed in the real world and Democrats are still in fantasy land.”
Citizen Action Wisconsin Executive Director Robert Kraig and Climate and Equity Director Rafael Smith spoke in support of the plan.
See the proposal here.
See the Citizen Action of Wisconsin release here.
