2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker

The 2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker catalogs a wide array of legislative inquiries across both the House and Senate. The hearings covered a diverse range of subjects, including the 'Clean Future Act', the 'American Jobs Plan', the impact of PFAS 'forever chemicals', and the resilience of the electric grid following the 2021 Texas grid failure. Significant attention was given to environmental justice, the role of the Department of Energy in innovation, and international climate strategies leading up to COP26. The tracker organizes these hearings by committee, detailing the specific focus of each session, from sustainable aviation and offshore wind to the management of public lands and the risks of climate change in the Arctic.

• The U.S. House of Representatives conducted hearings across numerous committees on the 'Clean Future Act', focusing on industrial climate policies, environmental justice, decarbonization of transportation, Superfund proposals, drinking water safety, and electric transmission.
• Congressional inquiries in 2021 extensively addressed the risks and impacts of PFAS, referred to as 'forever chemicals', including their effect on service members and the federal response to their persistence in the environment.
• The 2021 Texas grid failure and subsequent blackouts were the subject of multiple hearings aimed at examining the failure and identifying research needs for a more secure and resilient electric grid.
• Legislative focus was placed on the intersection of climate change and national security, specifically regarding the Arctic and the threats posed to the homeland.
• Environmental justice and the needs of marginalized communities were central themes, with hearings dedicated to frontline communities, Indigenous communities, and the 'American Jobs Plan'.
• The U.S. government's international climate strategy was examined, including preparations for COP26 and collaborations on offshore wind technology.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2021). 2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker. https://www.eesi.org/files/2021-Climate-_Environmental-and-Energy-Congressional-Hearing-Tracker.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. 2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker. 2021. https://www.eesi.org/files/2021-Climate-_Environmental-and-Energy-Congressional-Hearing-Tracker.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker |date=17 December 2021 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/2021-Climate-_Environmental-and-Energy-Congressional-Hearing-Tracker.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute20212021, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/2021-Climate-_Environmental-and-Energy-Congressional-Hearing-Tracker.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }