{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/bicameral-task-force-on-climate-change-releases-recommendations-for-department-of-the-interior", "Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Releases Recommendations for Department of the Interior", "2013-12-19", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.13\n\t\t\t Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Releases Recommendations for Department of the Interior \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Following recent reports that John Podesta may be primed to push for \u201caggressive executive action on climate change\u201d in his new role as White House counselor, the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change today released a white paper recommending concrete steps the Department of the Interior (DOI) should take in carrying out the President\u2019s Climate Action Plan.\u00a0\r\nDOI manages roughly one-fifth of the land in the U.S. and plays a key role in policies regarding energy production and conservation.\u00a0 The agency is poised to assume a leadership role in achieving several goals of the President\u2019s Climate Action Plan regarding emission reduction and resiliency.\u00a0 Some of the recommendations from the report include limiting methane emissions from fossil fuel production on federal land and the outer continental shelf; revising policies that effectively subsidize fossil fuel development on public land; advancing government-wide adaptation planning; and encouraging the Administration to expedite the timely release of guidance and regulations that help DOI advance its climate agenda.\r\nThese recommendations are based on suggestions submitted to the Bicameral Task Force by over 200 groups ranging from environmental organizations and efficiency advocates to electric utilities and Fortune 500 companies.\u00a0 They also reflect input from academics and policy think tanks.\r\n\u201cThe Department of Interior has a crucial role in addressing climate change,\u201d said Rep. Henry A. Waxman.\u00a0 \u201cWe hope the ideas in this report will help in this effort.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Interior Department is already working to fight climate change by advancing clean-energy technologies, and by protecting wildlife and habitat that support our tourism and recreation-based economies.\u00a0 These recommendations would expand on the Department\u2019s ongoing efforts and ensure that the goals set out in President Obama\u2019s Climate Action Plan are achieved as quickly and effectively as possible,\u201d said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who strongly supported the Interior Department\u2019s first-ever competitive lease sale for offshore wind in the waters off of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Safe Climate Caucus members made the commitment to talk every day about the urgent need to address climate change.\u00a0 The Interior Department is moving in\u00a0 the direction of addressing climate change and as they further their goal the caucus supports them in their efforts,\u201d said Rep. Bobby L. Rush.\r\n\u201cIt is time that we get serious about enhancing our communities\u2019 infrastructure and systems in order to adapt to the effects of global climate change. In Maryland, coastal communities including Smith Island are already experiencing the affects of sea-level rise. Science predicts that changes in the Earth\u2019s climate will increase the severity of meteorological events like droughts and storms and the federal government has a role in helping communities to not just respond better to these effects of these events, but also help reinforce our transportation and water infrastructure and major systems so that communities are better prepared before disaster strikes occur. We have a responsibility to act now to protect our communities from the consequences of climate change. Long-term safety must be our focus if we are to protect our natural environment and the health and safety of our citizens and their livelihood,\u201d said Sen. Ben Cardin.\r\n\u201cEvery moment we hesitate brings us close to the point of no return,\u201d said Rep. Earl Blumenauer.\u00a0 \u201cOur white paper outlines some actual steps that DOI can take to combat and mitigate climate change\u2019s disastrous effects.\u00a0 I sincerely hope that the administration sees that the time for action is now, and that Mr. Podesta is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.\u201d\r\n\u201cEveryone has a role to play in fighting climate change, but with the Interior Department\u2019s vast land and ocean resources, they can be an outsized actor in cutting the pollution that is changing our planet,\u201d said Sen. Ed Markey.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve already started by approving the first offshore wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts, and pushing for clean energy development on public lands. We need every single agency, and every single American, engaged in this fight against dangerous climate change.\u201d\r\nThe Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, founded in January 2013, focuses on drawing congressional and public attention to climate change and developing effective policy responses to this urgent challenge.\u00a0 The current co-chairs are Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Bobby L. Rush, Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, and Sen. Ed Markey.\u00a0 Additional information on the Task Force is available online here.\r\nThe report is available online here.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/bicameral-task-force-on-climate-change-releases-recommendations-for-department-of-the-interior"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7680291309952736, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}