Washington DC: Over the last year, despite facing unprecedented challenges, states made tremendous progress to advance clean energy across the country. In this year’s Clean Energy For All report, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) details how 28 different states passed either comprehensive climate or clean energy legislation, stopped new fossil fuel industry backed efforts, or made major advancements through statewide boards.

Read the 2021 Clean Energy For All Report here

Highlights include:

• Oregon and Illinois passing 100% clean energy laws in ways that put racial and economic justice at the center of their state’s transformation  
• Nebraska’s largest public power district committing to net zero emissions, making it the first red state to commit to net zero electricity
• Washington, Virginia, Oregon, Minnesota, Maryland, New York, and Illinois enacting comprehensive efforts to tackle transportation emissions in cars, trucks, and public transportation
• Montgomery County, Maryland and New York City school districts making major commitments to electric school buses as part of Chispa LCV’s Clean Buses, Healthy Niños campaign
• Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts enacting new statewide emissions limits and environmental justice protections

Thanks to policies passed in 2021, nearly 40% of people in the United States now live in a place dedicated to 100% clean electricity. While solving the global climate crisis requires federal climate and clean energy legislation, states continue to use their tremendous authority to lead and show the path for Congress to follow.

“In 2021, states continued to use every tool at their disposal to advance 100% clean energy and move climate action forward,” said Bill Holland, LCV Senior Director for State Policy, Advocacy, and Network-Wide Campaigns. “This is not a red vs. blue state issue. Voters see that clean energy is a win for their local economy, it creates jobs, improves our health, and helps us tackle the climate crisis. Communities are standing up and demanding a clean energy future. Every elected leader needs to hear them.”

Since launching the Clean Energy for All campaign in 2018, LCV and our over 30 state affiliates have secured 100% clean energy commitments from more than 1,300 successful local, state, and federal candidates. In 28 states we have translated those commitments into policy progress including 15 states that have committed to 100% clean energy. This year, we have seen policies that protect public health, defend our environment, create good, family sustaining jobs, reduce the legacy of toxic pollution in frontline communities, and ensure that the transition to a clean energy economy includes benefits for everyone.

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