Climate Protection and Justice Act of 2015

Climate Protection and Justice Act of 2015

This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, the bill:

• states as U.S. policy greenhouse gas emission targets for 2020, 2030, 2040, and 2050 that will result in reducing the emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050;
• establishes a fee for manufacturing, producing, or importing certain carbon polluting substances (coal, petroleum, and natural gas) that increases over time;
• establishes the Interagency Climate Council to evaluate whether the targets are being met;
• requires the Environmental Protection Agency to issue regulations to ensure the targets are met if the council finds the targets are not being met;
• requires those fees to be deposited in the Carbon Fee Rebate Fund established by this bill;
• establishes the Carbon Fee Rebate Program, which will distribute proceeds from the fees to eligible U.S. residents;
• establishes a Climate Justice Resiliency Grant Program to fund projects that mitigate climate impacts on communities that are unable to afford the management or mitigation of those impacts;
• expands the definition of solid waste under the Clean Air Act and applies air pollution emission limits to those wastes; and
• establishes a fee on carbon pollution-intensive goods imported into the United States, requires the fees to be deposited in the Carbon Equivalency Fee Fund established by this bill, and requires the fund to be used for certain purposes, including improving industrial energy efficiency.

The bill provides funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, and the Rural Energy for America Program.

The bill revises the Food Security Act of 1985 by providing incentives for farmers to use no-till cultivation practices and sustainable fertilizer application practices.

The bill revises the Federal Power Act to enable access on the electric grid for demand response programs (programs that enable customers to reduce or shift their power use during peak demand periods).