Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks with other Democrats and climate activists during a press conference on July 26, to mark the Inflation Reduction Act’s anniversary.
Francis Chung/POLITICO

In that light, it’s easy for most climate advocates to forgive all that the bill ultimately did not achieve and to focus on protecting the law from attacks — rather than being preoccupied with plotting their next climate victory.

“I was absolutely shocked at how much we got in,” Heinrich said. “I thought a lot would fall out … if you just look at where we expect to get reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, we got about 90 percent of what we wanted into the bill. That means we got most of the stuff we were trying to accomplish.”

Agreeing with that point was Matthew Davis, vice president of federal policy at the League of Conservation Voters.

“We’re living in this moment of tension between a very important victory and also the importance of implementation and getting it right,” he said, “and knowing that this is just a start of a race and not at all the end.”

Reporters Nico Portuondo and Robin Bravender contributed.

A version of this report first ran in E&E News’ Daily. Get access to more comprehensive and in-depth reporting on the energy transition, natural resources, climate change and more in E&E News.