DEAR EDITOR:

I am grateful that our Democratic Senators have reached agreement on the most significant climate bill in history. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will not only put the U.S. on a path to at least 40 percent emissions reduction by 2030, but it also will greatly benefit Mahoning Valley residents.

By investing in clean energy, the Inflation Reduction Act will help eliminate the electricity blackouts that are becoming more prevalent in the Mahoning Valley due to extreme weather and dated infrastructure, as well as cut families’ annual household energy costs by an average of $500. The historic labor standards included in the act will revitalize local manufacturing by creating clean energy job incentives that depend on good wages, registered apprenticeship programs, and domestic manufacturing. Its $60 billion of new investment in the decarbonization and revitalization of American manufacturing for existing industries like steel and aluminum, along with targeted support for the domestic manufacture of the clean energy technologies and components needed for deployment, will provide new economic opportunities for the Mahoning Valley.

The Inflation Reduction Act contains critical investments across multiple sectors that will help lower costs for local families, secure real energy independence, and meet this climate moment. We need Congress to get this done.

MARNE CARIO

Girard