§2285 Department of Defense Climate Resilience Infrastructure Initiative

Summary

Creates a "Climate Resilience Infrastructure Initiative" to help the Department of Defense make bases and training lands stronger against extreme weather and able to recover quickly after natural disasters. The Secretary of Defense must require backup power, communications, and transportation so critical base systems are hardened and can be restored fast. The Secretary must set sustainment and modernization rules for facilities tied to climate resilience. The Secretary must also make a framework, working within existing cooperation with state and local communities, that tells installation commanders to plan and work with state, regional, and local agencies and communities on climate resilience and shared infrastructure investment. The Secretary must protect and adapt military testing and training lands, including State-owned National Guard ranges, so they stay usable now and in the future. The Secretary must create training for service members, including reserve components, about why sustaining these lands matters. The Department must use existing programs, including the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (or its successor), to invest in these lands for short- and long-term needs. The Secretary must increase use of low-emission, emission-free, and net-zero-emission energy technologies when they are cost-effective over the investment’s life cycle.