To: Interested Parties From: LCV SVP of Campaigns Pete Maysmith and Climate Power Executive Director Lori Lodes Date: August 19, 2021 Re: LCV, Climate Power August Activity Recap — More Than $14 Million Invested
With the House of Representatives set to take a pivotal vote next week on the budget resolution, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Climate Power have built the momentum and enthusiasm to make sure it passes with climate action at its core. That work has taken place all across the country in key districts this first half of August with more than $14 million in investments to boost members of Congress by making clear that voters want to see significant investments in climate, justice, and jobs.
The climate crisis is disrupting the lives of people across the nation, from extreme flooding in Michigan to severe droughts and fires across the West to tropical storms wreaking havoc in the Southeast. Although it looks different in each state, the vast majority of people across the country are concerned about climate change, climate change-fueled extreme weather, and air and water pollution — and they want Congress to act. As the UN secretary general said, this is a “code red for humanity.” Members of Congress are hearing loud and clear from their constituents that failure to act on climate is not an option.
From events with members of Congress, cabinet officials, and other federal and local leaders, to field teams knocking over 110,000 doors in key states, to small business engagement, to town hall advocacy, to art activations, to paid TV and digital ads in key districts, here’s a summary of the impact we’ve made in the first two(ish) weeks of August:
LCV’s Field Organizing
In June, LCV launched an $8 million field organizing effort with 15 new offices across 8 states (AZ, GA, MI, NV, NH, NJ, PA, VA) to highlight support for Congressional action on climate. Since the launch, we’ve expanded to IA and IL, and organizers on the ground have knocked on over 110,000 doors, distributed over 8,700 yard signs, and garnered support from almost 4,100 businesses across the country. Through phone-banking efforts, organizers have helped to build strong turnout at town halls with Members of Congress like Rep. Underwood’s (IL-14) recentevents in her district and virtualtown halls with Sen. Merkley (OR-Sen) and Rep. Stevens (MI-11). Organizers have delivered ‘Climate Action NOW’ placards to district offices and organized ‘Honk and Waves’ for climate action in Arizona, New Jersey, and across the country. They’ve talked with businesses, such as a bakery in Virginia, a restaurant in Georgia, and a spa in Pennsylvania, who support climate action and have agreed to display ‘Climate Action NOW’ signs. All of these efforts have allowed organizers on the ground to connect with constituents who are passionate about climate action, many of whom are experiencing the impacts of air pollution, extreme weather, and wildfires in their own communities. Constituents such as this family from Nadbury, New Hampshire have shared their personal stories of what climate action now means to them. And we’ve heard directly from Members of Congress and their staff that they appreciate LCV’s efforts to build support and visibility for this once in a generation opportunity to take action on the climate crisis with investments in clean energy, justice, and jobs.
Muti-State August Tour — Climate Action Now: Great American Build Tour
Over the first 18 days of August, LCV, LCV state affiliates, and Climate Power have held a total of 32 events in 15 states with key Members of Congress, Biden administration officials including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory, and White House Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, state and local elected officials, labor unions, environmental justice partners, and more to bring attention to the opportunity Congress has to pass transformative clean energy legislation that will create jobs, lower utility bills for families, and tackle climate change and environmental justice. See appendix at the end of this memo for past event details, recordings, social media, and press coverage.
Paid Ads
LCV and Climate Power have invested a total of $14 million in August in national, state, and district level paid media campaigns to underscore the need for Congress to take immediate, bold climate action to create millions of good-paying, union jobs in the clean energy sector, prioritize environmental justice for communities of color most harmed by toxic pollution, and confront climate change. Ad mediums include television, digital, billboard, and print.
Most recently, the groups announced ads to thank key Senators for passing the Budget Resolution and boost frontline House members ahead of their return to DC to vote on the Budget Resolution.
The additional $4 million in new spending to support members of Congress facing pro-polluter attacks include TV and/or digital ads in 23 frontline House districts. The ads also thank the members of Congress for supporting transformative clean energy legislation that will create jobs, lower utility bills for families, and tackle climate change. House districts in this new round of ads include: AZ-01 (Rep. O’Halleran), GA-06 (Rep. McBath), IA-03 (Rep. Axne), IL-14 (Rep. Underwood), KS-03 (Rep. Davids), MI-08 (Rep. Slotkin), MI-11 (Rep. Stevens), MN-02 (Rep. Craig), NH-01 (Rep. Pappas), NJ-03 (Rep. Kim), NJ-11 (Rep. Sherrill), NJ-07 (Rep. Malinowski), NV-03 (Rep. Lee), NV-04 (Rep. Horsford), NY-19 (Rep. Delgado), OR-04 (Rep. DeFazio), PA-07 (Rep. Wild), PA-08 (Rep. Cartwright), VA-02 (Rep. Luria), VA-07 (Rep. Spanberger), WA-08 (Rep. Schrier), WI-03 (Rep. Kind).
The new Senate ads total seven-figures in new spending and are up on TV in Georgia (Ossoff and Warnock), New Hampshire (Hassan and Shaheen), and Nevada (Cortez Masto and Rosen) and going up in Arizona (Kelly and Sinema) soon to thank all eight Senators for voting in support of the Build Back Better budget resolution.
These recent announcements come on top of our August 4 release of the first August recess spots and our initial July 6 announcement of the first state and district level ads we ran to build momentum for climate action in 16 states and 23 Congressional districts.
Florida Conservation Voters hosted a virtual discussion Aug. 5 with State Senator Lori Berman, State Representative Anna Eskamani, & Dr. Frances Colón of the Center for American Progress
LCV hosted a virtual discussion with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Alyssa Quintyne, Interior Organizer with The Alaska Center, Frank Hawk, COO of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, and Gilbert Campbell, Co-Founder and CEO of Volt Energy
Climate Power and LCV co-hosted an event in Tucson, AZ with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, Rep. Grijalva (AZ-03), AZ State Rep. Andrés Cano, and State Sen. Kirsten Engel
Conservation Voters of New Mexico joined Rep. Stansbury’s District Listening Session
Rep. Stansbury’s tweet advocating for the need to pass reconciliation alongside the infrastructure bill
California LCV joined Senator Padilla, Rep. Lee, Oakland Mayor, Teamsters, Oakland School District, and the CEO of Zum at a press conference about electric buses and advocating for deeper investments.
Climate Power & LCV co-hosted an evening event with discussions moderated by Mustafa Ali that featured CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory, Representative Debbie Dingell, and other powerful advocates
North Carolina LCV, NC AFL-CIO, and their affiliated UAW Local 5287 and Teamsters Local 391 joined forces with Rep. Manning (NC-06) to plug electric buses as a climate-saving, community-transforming job creator.
Conservation Minnesota hosted a press conference with the Blue Green Alliance, the Steelworkers, Machinists, and Sierra Club with Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02)
LCV affiliates hosted a Mountain West Regional Mayors Panel with mayors from Boise, ID, Fort Collins, CO, West Wendover, NV, Aztec, NM, Missoula, MT, Phoenix, AZ, and Salt Lake City, UT
LCV affiliates hosted a New England Regional Mayors Panel with mayors from Montpelier, VT, and Manchester, NH and a Springfield, MA city councilor and the former mayor of Bangor, ME
