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The report argues that the U.S. must implement ambitious long-term capacity targets, holistic transmission planning, and strategic infrastructure investments to achieve a net-zero future. It emphasizes the need for coordinated site identification, streamlined permitting, and the development of a domestic supply chain and workforce to support a potential build-out of 250 to 750 GW of offshore wind by 2050.

The analysis finds that transitioning Maryland's medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) would yield significant net societal benefits, ranging from $6.6 billion under the ACT rule to over $11.6 billion under the 100 x 40 ZEV scenario by 2050. These benefits are driven by reductions in greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, leading to fewer premature deaths and hospital visits. While ZEVs currently have higher purchase costs, the report projects they will reach lifetime cost parity with combustion vehicles due to lower fuel and maintenance expenses. The transition is expected to have positive macroeconomic effects, including net national job gains and increased GDP, although it requires substantial investment in depot and public charging infrastructure.

The U.S. electric school bus (ESB) market is expanding, driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program and state-level mandates. As of December 2022, 895 districts had committed to 5,612 ESBs. While upfront costs remain three to four times higher than diesel buses, ESBs offer lower operational costs, zero tailpipe emissions, and potential grid resilience through bidirectional charging. The market currently features 24 models across Type A, C, and D buses, with a growing emphasis on repowering existing fleets to reduce costs and waste. Successful deployment requires coordinated planning between districts, utilities, and manufacturers to manage charging infrastructure and specialized maintenance training.

REITs in the US control approximately 38.5 billion sq. ft. of solar-appropriate surface area, capable of generating over 25 percent of electricity used in US commercial buildings. While on-site solar is economically viable for 90 percent of the top 50 REITs by 2025, adoption is hindered by tax credit complexities, IRS recapture rules, and risks associated with tenant turnover and low energy intensity in industrial warehouses. Community solar is proposed as a solution to these barriers, offering additional tax credit bonuses of 10–20 percent when serving low- and moderate-income residents. Currently, only nine US states support rooftop community solar, though some leading REITs like Prologis, Lineage Logistics, Blackstone, Brookfield, and Hartz Mountain have already installed significant capacity.

The Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) or near-zero-emissions vehicles (NZEVs) between 2024 and 2035. Compliance is managed through a credit-based system where OEMs can generate credits via sales, purchase them from others, or bank them for future use. The regulation aims to reduce up to 17 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2040 and has been adopted by six other US states.

The briefing examines the debate over New York's transition to a 20-year global warming potential (GWP20) timeframe and the inclusion of upstream and biogenic emissions. It argues that this accounting method increases the avoided temperature rise by 66% compared to old methods and could avoid up to $240 billion in damages. The author contends that changing the accounting timeframe does not increase physical emissions and that affordability can be maintained through strategic policy design and federal funding.

The document argues that current US federal standards for landfill methane are insufficient and proposes a two-pronged approach: enhancing the monitoring and capture of methane from waste already in place and reducing the disposal of organic materials. It highlights that landfill methane emissions may be underestimated by a factor of two and that 54% of reporting landfills have adjacent communities exceeding national averages for low-income or people of color populations. Proposed solutions include the use of satellites, drones, and continuous sensors for leak detection, the adoption of biocovers, and the diversion of food waste to composting or anaerobic digestion. The authors call on the EPA to implement more ambitious federal standards under the Clean Air Act during its 2024 review.

The report evaluates the potential for offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the US mid-Atlantic to compensate for limited onshore capacity. Using the SimCCS modeling toolset, the study identifies 199 facilities across 15 industry sectors with a total of 31.47 Mt of annual capturable CO2. It finds that while offshore storage capacity is vast—estimated at 621,221 MtCO2 across 125 candidate sites—the costs are significantly higher than onshore benchmarks, ranging from 95.5 to 147.9 $/tCO2. This cost disparity is primarily driven by offshore pipeline installation and storage expenses. The analysis suggests that capturing the full 31.47 MtCO2 would require a 7,789 km branched pipeline network and that emission prices between $95.5 and $103.5 per tonne could incentivize initial capture efforts.

As of December 2022, there are 5,612 committed electric school buses in the US, a significant increase driven largely by the EPA's Clean School Bus Rebate Program. While California leads in total numbers, adoption has expanded to all 50 states and is increasingly concentrated in low-income and minority communities, though the report emphasizes the need for continued focus on equity and infrastructure support.

The report finds that if all 177 States adopting California's standards implement the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, U.S. emissions could be reduced by 1,310 million metric tons of CO2e by 2050. This adoption would lead to three-quarters of U.S. cars being electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050, creating nearly 300,000 jobs and saving households an average of $238 annually. The analysis emphasizes that while the IRA provides near-term incentives, the ACC II mandate is necessary for long-term electrification goals. Case studies for Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York highlight significant state-level benefits, including substantial reductions in asthma attacks and premature deaths, particularly in communities of color.

The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program provides financial aid to agricultural producers in 16 specific US states to manage financial risk through conservation, marketing, and crop diversification. Administered by the NRCS, AMS, and RMA, the program is permanently authorized at $10 million per fiscal year and covers up to 75 percent of the cost for conservation practices like agroforestry and cover crops to mitigate climate change.

The document advocates for expanding U.S. electricity transmission to meet climate goals while rejecting the idea that speed requires gutting environmental protections. It argues that upfront community engagement and holistic planning actually accelerate project delivery, citing a 2022 MIT study and offshore wind projects in Maryland. The author calls for the Biden administration and FERC to address transmission bottlenecks and for Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and the CHARGE Act of 2022 to ensure the transition is equitable and efficient.

The document outlines how U.S. local governments can use aggregated procurement—forming buyers' groups to pool demand—to lower costs and accelerate clean energy deployment. It identifies key benefits such as economies of scale and shared expertise, while noting barriers like lack of staff expertise and complex legal requirements. The guide provides five strategies for success, including appointing dedicated project managers and targeting a minimum aggregated demand of 20MW for optimal pricing, and suggests ways to integrate equity and community benefits into these contracts.

The document outlines the shift from static school bus business models to new arrangements necessitated by the different cost structures of electric school buses (ESBs). While ESBs have higher upfront capital costs, they offer lower operating costs and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over time, with TCO parity with diesel buses projected by 2029. The guide identifies six key roles in the ESB ecosystem—bus owner, charger owner, bus operator, bus maintenance provider, energy/fuel manager, and electricity customer—and provides examples of various business models, including Charging-as-a-Service and Transportation-as-a-Service, implemented by districts in California, Quebec, Virginia, Illinois, and Maryland.

A 50-state survey by Global Energy Monitor reveals that major U.S. corporations in the tech, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ lobbyists who also represent fossil fuel interests. This creates a paradox where companies with public net-zero pledges provide political cover and credibility to lobbyists promoting continued fossil fuel dependence. The report highlights specific companies—such as Amazon, State Farm, and Bank of America—and notes that weak state disclosure laws and the absence of a national database hinder accountability.

The document describes resilience hubs as community-serving facilities designed to provide essential resources and reliable power during extreme weather events. It outlines a framework for implementation, emphasizing the importance of community buy-in, strategic siting in trusted locations, and the integration of energy efficiency, solar power, and battery storage to ensure 'hours of safety' for vulnerable residents. The guide also highlights available federal funding sources, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, to support these initiatives.

The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Maryland has installed four solar arrays—one ground-mounted and three rooftop—totaling 3.2 megawatts of capacity. These projects, developed with Suntrail Energy and IGS Solar, provide over 80 percent of the church's energy usage and have generated nearly $1 million in savings over three years. The installations include a 2.06 MW ground-mounted farm at the Upper Marlboro campus and rooftop arrays at the Family Life Center, Ministry Center, and Empowerment Center.

The report analyzes the growing U.S. electric school bus (ESB) market, noting that as of March 2022, 415 districts had committed to 12,275 ESBs. It details the benefits of ESBs, including zero tailpipe emissions and lower operational costs, while outlining the technical requirements for charging infrastructure and the variety of available vehicle types (Type A, C, and D). The guide also explores funding mechanisms, such as the $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, and provides a roadmap for fleet electrification.

The report argues that traditional US public utilities commission (PUC) processes are too slow and restrictive to meet urgent decarbonization and equity mandates. It recommends four primary reforms: setting clear proceeding objectives, expanding stakeholder roles in solution development, reducing information asymmetry by unlocking utility data, and initiating new inclusive processes such as regulatory sandboxes and updated benefit-cost analysis frameworks.

A coalition of environmental organizations argues that Metro board member Matt Letourneau is violating the agency's Code of Ethics due to his role as managing director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute and his receipt of campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. The petitioners claim Letourneau uses his position to advocate for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and hydrogen fuel cells over battery electric buses, despite evidence that CNG and diesel buses have similar lifecycle carbon emissions and that electric buses are more reliable and cost-effective.