Chispa Archives - League of Conservation Voters

THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE ACTION(!) – APRIL 30, 2021

Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook and Twitter.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“The history of segregation has been very deliberate. When we talk about systemic issues around illegal dumping and littering, it’s a very complex issue, and the systems that created it are complex, as well.”

— Myrna Newman, Allegheny CleanWays Executive Director, speaking on communities of color experiencing increased illegal dumping in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, “Combating environmental racism, one neighborhood cleanup at a time”.

“They’re going to poison us, and this is where our children live. This landfill will be just a few feet from where our groundwater table is, and we rely on that groundwater for drinking water and to wash dishes, and we can’t have this here.”

— Dollie Burwell, environmental justice advocate whose advocacy against a landfill in her community in North Carolina in the 80s is featured in Washington Post podcast, “Fighting environmental racism: How a protest in a North Carolina farming town sparked a national movement for environmental justice”.

“If you go to communities of color across this country and ask them, ‘What’s the source of the environmental problems?’ they can point you to every one: the highway, the chemical plants, the refineries, the legacy pollution left over from decades ago, in the houses, in the air, in the water, in the playgrounds,” he said. “Empirical research is now catching up with the reality: that America is segregated and so is pollution.”

— Robert D. Bullard, a professor at Texas Southern University who has written for more than 30 years about the need to address environmental injustice in communities in a New York Times article, “People of Color Breathe More Hazardous Air. The Sources Are Everywhere.”

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LCV IN THE NEWS:

E&E News: Biden looks to get past ‘the easy stuff’
Axios: Exclusive: The big push for a clean power mandate
Roll Call: Biden Biden faces big sales challenge in wake of climate summit
American Independent: Alaska senator’s ‘climate plan’ is just to burn more fossil fuels

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY:

LCV’s affiliates are hard at work protecting the environment and fighting climate change in the states. Here’s what people are reading across the country:

Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV): COMMENTARY: Natural gas is going the way of the dinosaurs
Maine Beacon (ME): Maine groups show solidarity with tribes’ push for sovereignty
AP (CA): California governor seeks ban on new fracking by 2024
Public News Service (NC): With NC Native Heading EPA, Local Officials Build On Renewed Climate Focus
Albuquerque Journal (NM): Senate votes to restore EPA methane regulations
Spokane Public Radio (WA): Washington Joins Oregon, California, British Columbia In Passing Low-Carbon Fuel Standard
Fayetteville Observer (NC): Biden plan and clean energy can be ‘economic shot in the arm’ for NC and America
Florida Phoenix (FL): Gov. DeSantis to decide fate of controversial toll road projects through sensitive lands in Florida
Harlem World Magazine (NY): Senate Majority Advances Legislation To Improve Water Protections During Water Week
New Haven Biz (NH): A battle to get more clean energy into New England’s electric grid is underway. Here’s what you need to know.
ROI-NJ (NJ): Save the bees? Yeah, it’s a thing — here’s why it should concern businesses
Missoula Current (MT): Legislature passes marijuana bill with conservation funding

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REMEMBERING ADAM KOLTON: On Monday, the environmental advocacy community reeled from the loss of Adam Kolton, who dedicated decades of his career to fighting for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge against oil development. A tireless voice for public lands, a glimpse of Adam’s leadership, advocacy, and impact on the environmental community can be seen in a tribute from E&E News here.

AWL TAKE: The Alaskan Wilderness League powerfully stated, “Regardless of the challenge, he attacked it head on with confidence that we would triumph in the end. When we speak of the shoulders of giants on which we stand, Adam is among those ranks.”

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of our longtime friend and colleague, Adam Kolton, and holding his family, friends, and the Alaska Wilderness League and the National Wildlife Federation close. Adam was a fierce advocate, a savvy strategist, a loyal friend, a formidable opponent – and a long-suffering but avid Mets fan. We are so grateful to Adam for his incredible leadership for the environment and especially for protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other special places throughout Alaska and across the country. We will miss him dearly, but his legacy lives on and we will honor him by continuing to fight for all he held dear.”

MCCABE CONFIRMED!: This week, the Senate confirmed Janet McCabe as deputy administrator of the EPA. McCabe will be returning to familiar territory, having served as acting assistant administrator from 2013-2017 and deputy principle assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation from 2009-2013. And it’s clear, given her record and testimony during the confirmation process, that McCabe is intent on prioritizing the health and well being of communities across the country: “Air pollution is connected with heart disease, cancer and birth defects. It shortens lives. These and other public health issues facing our fellow Americans have motivated my work.”

OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Congratulations to Janet McCabe on her confirmation as deputy administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). McCabe has deep experience with the climate policy and clean air standards that will be key to the Biden administration’s success on climate and environmental justice. Her leadership will provide a needed morale boost at the EPA after four years of the Trump administration undermining science and health protections. We can’t wait for her to work alongside Administrator Michael Regan to restore the core mission of the EPA protecting our air, water, climate, and health for all communities.”

PETITION FOR CLEAN BUSES: Chispa and LCV led a petition with a coalition of advocates urging the Biden-Harris administration to invest $25 billion over 10 years, which would jump-start the electrification of nearly half the nation’s school bus fleet, and clean up the air that 25 million school children breathe each day. A bold transition to clean buses will impact over 25 million children and hundreds of thousands of bus drivers who currently breathe polluted air from dirty diesel school buses — particularly in communities of color and low wealth communities where children are at a higher risk of breathing polluted air, and are already disproportionately impacted by pollution. See and sign the petition urging the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to switch to electric school buses for the health and safety of our children and our communities here.

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa tweeted, “25M students (nearly half of all school-aged students in the US) rely on diesel school buses to get to school every day. A return to in-person learning means a return to toxic diesel pollution exposure for our children. Tell @POTUS & @VP to #BuildBackBetter with #CleanRide4Kids!”

GOP CLIMATE LIES: On Wednesday, ahead of Biden’s joint-session address to Congress, LCV released a memo highlighting how Republicans fueled by oil and gas money are putting polluter interests before their constituents, instead of providing the investments our nation needs to be a world leader in energy while addressing the climate crisis. Read the facts on the real reason for climate denialism and criticism of the American Jobs Plan — the LCV scores and contributions from the fossil fuel industry make it clear.

OUR TAKE: As outlined in LCV’s factsheet on what to expect from Congressional Republicans ahead of the joint address to Congress:

“You’ll hear that the American Jobs Plan is just a scheme to raise taxes, but the truth is Americans support making corporations pay their fair share by overturning the irresponsible GOP tax cuts.

You’ll hear that this is not infrastructure because it’s not just about roads and bridges, but the truth is these are the investments in infrastructure required to propel our nation forward and a majority of voters agree.

You’ll hear that this is not actually a jobs plan and it will cause job loss, but the truth is investing in a clean energy future will create and sustain millions of good-paying, union jobs right here in the U.S.

And finally, you’ll hear that this will ban hamburgers and force beer-drinkers to consume meatless beer, but the truth is… well, that’s just not true.”

A DOSE OF HOPE: On Wednesday, President Biden gave his joint-session speech to Congress, highlighting how bold, transformational investments have historically propelled job creation and economic growth, and how the American Jobs Plan will address climate change while creating good-paying jobs by updating transportation infrastructure, building a resilient grid, preparing for extreme weather exacerbated by climate change, and replacing lead pipes in communities without access to clean water. The Biden-Harris administration has further committed to direct at least 40% of these investments to communities who have been bearing the brunt of pollution and climate impacts and previously have been cut out of their fair share of the benefits. See LCV’s memo on why centering clean energy, justice, and jobs is good policy and good politics here.

PRESIDENTIAL TAKE: During President Biden’s joint session address he stated, “For too long, we have failed to use the most important word when it comes to meeting the climate crisis. Jobs. Jobs. For me, when I think about climate change, I think jobs. The American Jobs Plan will put engineers and construction workers to work building more energy efficient buildings and homes.”

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “Tonight, on the eve of the strongest first 100 days for climate and environmental justice we’ve ever seen from any presidential administration, President Biden made clear once again that he is centering communities and justice in our recovery, from the workers who built this country to the people who have been left out of economic opportunity and disproportionately impacted by the nation’s four interconnected crises. The stakes of the climate crisis couldn’t be higher, and in order to help cut carbon pollution, address environmental and economic injustice, and continue on this path of economic recovery, we must invest in infrastructure that creates millions of good-paying union jobs — including clean energy jobs — across the country. We are all in to continue working with the administration and Congress to pass the American Jobs Plan, strengthen our democracy by passing the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, confront racial injustice, and transition to a just and equitable clean energy future that works for all communities.”

FIRST 100 DAYS PROGRESS REPORT: On Tuesday, LCV released a report outlining major climate wins in the Biden-Harris administration’s first 100 days, and on Thursday — the administration’s 100th day — hosted a virtual event with Senator Alex Padilla and Representative Andy Kim to discuss the administration’s strong start. This administration has made it clear that bold, transformative action while centering the most impacted communities is critical for our nation’s economic recovery and to tackle the climate and public health crises. Selecting a visionary cabinet and expert personnel with a range of experiences and identities to help find solutions to some of the nation’s most pressing issues shows the administration’s commitment towards building a whole-of-government approach and ensuring that communities who are too often excluded from the process have a seat at the table and are setting the agenda. Watch the event here and see statements from Padilla and Kim here. Additionally, read more highlights from LCV’s report, “100 Days in Office: A Foundation for Transformational change” here and see the full report here.

PADILLA TAKE: Senator Alex Padilla stated, “The Biden/Harris administration has made a tremendous impact on climate, environmental justice, and democracy in their first 100 days. Looking ahead, Congress must ensure we invest in our infrastructure equitably and in a way that addresses climate change and creates good-paying jobs — especially for those who have historically been left out of economic opportunity. That’s why I’ve introduced legislation to help transition our school bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles. This is an essential aspect of building equitable, sustainable infrastructure. I’m proud to work with my fellow members of Congress to not just protect the environment, but also the health of our families.”

KIM TAKE: Representative Andy Kim stated, “A lesson we must learn from the last year is the need to be prepared — Whether it’s preparing for future pandemics or to tackle the challenges of the climate crisis, we need bold leadership and action to keep America resilient and strong. The actions taken by President Biden and Vice President Harris have helped put us on that path to a resilient future. Congress must now come together to pass common-sense efforts that will keep our communities safer and stronger, no matter the challenges ahead.”

OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld stated, “President Biden and Vice President Harris have just completed the strongest first 100 days for climate and environmental justice we’ve ever seen from any presidential administration, and we know they are just getting started. The Biden administration has set the stage for the transformational change we need to establish the U.S. as a world leader fighting climate change, confronting racial injustice, and strengthening our democracy. We are all in to continue working alongside this administration and Congress as we transition to a 100% clean energy economy, center environmental justice, and maintain and create good-paying union jobs here in the U.S.”

OUR DOUBLE TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “This has been the strongest first 100 days for climate and environmental justice we’ve ever seen from a president. President Biden and Vice President Harris have set the stage for the transformational change we need to establish the U.S. as a world leader fighting climate change, confront racial injustice, and strengthen our democracy. And they’ve done it all in the middle of a global pandemic while getting hundreds of millions of shots in arms.”

CLIMATE IMPACTS PREGNANCIES: Last week, Center for American Progress released a new report, “5 Ways To Improve Maternal Health by Addressing the Climate Crisis,” which focuses on the detrimental impacts the climate crisis has on the health of pregnancies — increasing the risk of preterm birth, pregnancy-related complications, and poor maternal mental health. The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates of developed nations in the world — with Black pregnant and postpartum people three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared with their white counterparts. Climate risk factors, including extreme heat and weather, air pollution, flooding, and hurricanes directly negatively impact people of color, people with disabilities, and people in the LGBTQ+ community more than their straight, white counterparts — and this research shows how these risk factors impact people before they are even born. Read the full report here.

$$ FOR CLIMATE: Last week on Earth Day, Representative Adriano Espaillat introduced H.R.2774, the Green Climate Fund Authorization Act, which would commit the United States to provide a bold investment of $8 billion in climate financing over two years to the Green Climate Fund, an independent, multilateral fund established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to help developing nations limit their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. Investments from nations with wealth who also emit the most greenhouse gases are critical to mitigate the global impacts of the climate crisis, to address environmental injustices in communities who bear the most burden from the climate crisis, and to equitably help nations adapt to the climate crisis. See more on the bill here.

ESPAILLAT TAKE: Rep. Adriano Espaillat stated, “The global climate crisis is upon us, and it is an existential threat. We have waited far too long to take serious action to combat climate change, and it is time the United States restores its leadership in the world by contributing to international efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. As the world’s largest historical greenhouse gas emitter and one of the wealthiest countries in the word, it is incumbent upon the United States to contribute its fair share to global mitigation and adaptation efforts by providing financing to developing countries for just and equitable climate action. The Green Climate Fund is the world’s largest dedicated fund helping developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and enhance their ability to respond to climate change. Through supporting the Green Climate Fund, the United States can promote environmental justice by assisting marginalized communities in countries that contribute the least to climate change, yet bear the greatest burden of its impacts. This is a moral imperative.”

NYLCV TAKE: New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe stated, “Climate change doesn’t start and stop within our borders. While the U.S. is making progress on climate by proposing bold policies that will bolster renewable energy and clean transportation, we must also support the transition to a green economy across the globe. Authorizing a Green Climate Fund will provide climate financing to support global mitigation and adaptation in a just and equitable manner. We thank Congressman Espaillat for his leadership and look forward to working with him as this legislation progresses.”

MADRE TAKE: Madre Executive Director Yifat Susskind stated, “We know that any effective, just US climate policy must recognize this country’s responsibility to contribute to global solutions, including through an unprecedented commitment to climate financing. Moreover, we know where the money goes matters. The more that resources needed to mitigate and adapt to climate breakdown are channeled to changemakers at the grassroots level — and particularly women and girls in frontline communities of the Global South — the better chance we have to tackle climate breakdown locally and globally. Frontline women climate defenders sustain their communities through climate catastrophes, from preserving local water sources through drought to storing seeds after floods destroy crops. We must resource their vital work and advance policies guided by their expertise. We commend the Green Climate Fund Authorization Act for spotlighting that our policy efforts must center women, communities of color, Indigenous Peoples, and all frontline communities globally, and for committing to fulfill US obligations to climate financing.”

🚦GREENLIGHT: For decades, California has led the country on pollution standards for new cars because they have wrestled with the scourge of air quality problems since before the Clean Air Act. Their longstanding actions to safeguard their communities from air pollution earned them special authority to set their emissions standards higher than the federal standards, and other states were allowed to opt into those higher standards. However, the Trump administration attempted to revoke this right, and this week the Biden-Harris administration proposed to reinstate California’s waiver, helping the golden state and others breathe easier, especially communities who bear the brunt of pollution from cars and trucks.

OUR TAKE: LCV Board Chair and former Administrator of the EPA Carol M. Browner said, “If we are going to tackle the climate crisis and rebuild manufacturing in this country we need bold policies that drive innovation and cut carbon pollution. Reestablishing the ability of states to band together to set tougher pollution standards for vehicles will cut carbon pollution and feed the innovation we need to build cleaner, affordable, reliable and pollution-free vehicles that save consumers money. Transportation accounts for the largest share of carbon pollution and this decision will lead to significant pollution reductions, economic growth and savings for families at the pump.”

CLCV TAKE: California League of Conservation Voters Chief Executive Officer Mary Creasman said, “Make no mistake: this climate move was made possible by our country electing leaders who prioritize climate action. Today is a reminder of the role elections play in shaping policy and how with the right leadership, our government can use every tool available to ensure our economy and the corporations who drive our economy change as quickly as possible…If we are to prevent major climate catastrophe, this victory can’t be the end. California has the chance to lead the way and collaborate at a national level again to set the standards for tailpipe emissions that is ultimately beneficial to all.”

CURBING METHANE: On Wednesday, the Senate approved a Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval of the EPA’s roll back of methane standards for new and modified sources in the oil and gas industry — a vote that aims to allow the EPA to move forward aggressive safeguards against this highly potent greenhouse gas that is responsible for 25 percent of the climate change we are experiencing today. Now it’s time for the House to swiftly take up the CRA and help eliminate dangerous methane pollution that significantly contributes to climate change and perpetuates environmental racism.

OUR TAKE: LCV Deputy Legislative Director Madeleine Foote said, “Thanks to the leadership of Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Heinrich and support from a bipartisan coalition of senators today we are one step closer to protecting our communities and environment from toxic methane — the dangerous, potent greenhouse gas responsible for about 25 percent of the climate change we are experiencing today. This vote paves the way for the EPA to move forward with widely supported, sensible safeguards for methane and other air pollution from oil and gas production that would go a long way towards dismantling environmental racism and improving public health.”

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: On Thursday, the House passed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act with strong bipartisan support. Earlier in the week, a coalition of environmental organizations, led by LCV, sent a letter to Congress urging them to support the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, which would be an important step toward providing all communities with access to clean, safe and affordable water. The legislation would replace lead service lines and reauthorize the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds, create an EPA pilot program for low-income water assistance, and authorize funding for rural and disadvantaged communities, among other measures.

OUR TAKE: LCV Deputy Legislative Director Madeleine Foote said, “This is an important, bipartisan step on the path towards providing all communities in this country with access to clean, safe, and affordable water and we commend Senators Carper and Capito for leading this effort. While the bill makes some important down payments on investing in our water infrastructure, more work is needed to ensure that everyone, especially low-income communities and communities of color who have historically borne the brunt of pollution and failing water infrastructure, has access to clean water. Clean water is a basic human right and we look forward to working with Congress to build our water infrastructure back better.”

COALITION TAKE: In the letter, the coalition says, “While the current bill represents progress in the right direction, more work is needed to ensure that everyone, especially low-income communities and communities of color who have historically borne the brunt of pollution and failing water infrastructure, has access to clean water for drinking, fishing, and recreation.”

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

WISCONSIN JOBS: On Thursday, the Wisconsin Examiner published “American Jobs Plan presents opportunity to rebuild Wisconsin’s manufacturing, labor, environmental legacy,” an opinion piece by Wisconsin Conservation Voters Government Affairs Director, Jennifer Giegerich, and Milwaukee Area Labor Council and Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council for Laborers Union Local 113 delegate, Pam Fendt. Giegerich and Fendt highlight how Wisconsin’s history of manufacturing provides an opportunity for success with the American Jobs Plan. Bold, transformative investments to tackle the climate crisis that center justice, equity, creating pathways for good-paying clean energy jobs is a critical step towards economic recovery and a reinvigorated manufacturing sector in Wisconsin.

WCV + GREAT LAKES REGION ORGANIZING TAKE: Wisconsin Conservation Voters Government Affairs Director Jennifer Giegerich and Milwaukee Area Labor Council and Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council for Laborers Union Local 113 delegate Pam Fendt stated, “We applaud the president for recognizing the interconnected nature of the climate crises, income inequality and racial injustice and taking strides to address all three crises simultaneously. This plan is built on the idea that in fighting the threat of the climate crisis, we have before us an opportunity to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, power our nation with clean energy, right the wrongs of environmental injustice and create new career pathways.

CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITIONS IN NEVADA: On Saturday, Las Vegas Review-Journal published an opinion piece, “Natural gas is going the way of the dinosaurs,” authored by Nevada Conservation Voters Deputy Director Verna Mandez. Mandez explains that gas utilities in Nevada aren’t held to the same standards as electric utilities and aren’t required to provide a plan for new projects to prove that they’re necessary and cost effective. In the op-ed she asks, “if our utilities can’t prove that they’re making good investments, how can we trust them to provide affordable energy?” Without this accountability to ratepayers, gas utilities have little oversight to prevent them from making poor investments in wasteful and unnecessary expensive projects that will raise customer’s bills. It’s also critical to enact policies that help lower-income Nevadans transition away from gas to cheaper, more efficient energy so they aren’t left footing an ever-rising gas bill.

NCV TAKE: Nevada Conservation Voters Deputy Director Verna Mandez wrote, “Preventing wasteful and unnecessary gas infrastructure spending means lower bills, and better appliances for low-income Nevadans and seniors will improve public health. For our health and for a more affordable Nevada, we can’t keep hiding from our questions about the future of gas. It’s time to face our problems head-on and ensure that this energy transition prioritizes the health and well-being of all Nevadans — and offers them better options when they decide it’s time for a change.”

ROOFTOP SOLAR IN SC: The South Carolina Public Service Commission unanimously rejected a plan by Dominion Energy to increase fees for residential solar customers on Wednesday. The PSC instead supported a proposal by solar companies and partners of the Conservation Voters of South Carolina (CVSC) in an important win for protecting solar access in the state. Dominion’s plan would have increased electric bills by over $50 a month, significantly reducing the cost savings of having a rooftop system – the main incentive for customers to go solar. This decision comes following sustained efforts by CVSC to engage in the PSC selection process. Last year they successfully advocated for the selection of 4 new commissioners that support clean energy out of 5.

CVSC TAKE: John Tynan, director of the Conservation Voters of South Carolina said: “This is a bright day for solar in South Carolina. This decision allows rooftop solar to continue to grow and it shows that our Public Service Commission is serious about standing up for what is good for customers and what is good for clean energy, and is not afraid to push back on utility monopolies when they do something that is egregious.’’

WASHINGTON WINS: A historic legislative session came to a close in Washington this week with multiple exciting climate wins, including passing a clean fuel standard, strong budget investments in climate action, codifying environmental justice, and creating the strongest and most comprehensive carbon pricing program in the country. After more than a decade of advocacy to put a price on carbon, the Climate Commitment Act passed as the result of intentional, powerful and diverse partnerships and collaboration, especially following the leadership of sovereign tribal nations. The HEAL Act officially defines environmental justice in state law and establishes an environmental justice council to review policy and give recommendations to state agencies. Washington also critically restored voting rights to an estimated 20,000 people in the state.

WCV + WEC TAKE: Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters CEO Alyssa Macy stated, “The incredible progress that was made for our futures is a remarkable turn of events after the year we’ve just experienced. In the great pause created by COVID, and in the context of a national racial reckoning and an uncertain economic recovery, this year’s environmental progress is truly remarkable. Legislators in Olympia heard our communities loud-and-clear: we won’t back down until you’ve achieved bold environmental progress and they certainly delivered.

When carbon pricing bills were first proposed this year, Washington Environmental Council got to work listening to Tribal Nations, Black-led movement groups, and overburdened communities in order to strengthen and pass a strong carbon pricing policy that met their needs and the goals of our state. Future generations will look back at this moment and know that we valued their futures by passing the Climate Commitment Act. I commend the Washington Legislature, Representative Fitzgibbon, and Governor Inslee for keeping their promise to act boldly on climate this year.”

EARTH DAY IN VIRGINIA: This year Virginia LCV organized a virtual week-long Earth Day festival with panel discussions, presentations, virtual yoga, and a talk show hosted by Earth herself.The festival brought together multiple partners and presenters, and covered a variety of topics including civic engagement, sustainable agriculture, exploring urban nature, faith and climate action, and sustainability efforts at the local level.

CLIMATE AND GENDER JUSTICE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: LCV’s New Hampshire state affiliate, Climate Action NH, partnered with the NH Women’s Foundation for Earth Day to bring awareness to the intersection of climate and gender justice. Tanna Clews, CEO of the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation and Rob Werner, New Hampshire State Director for LCV co-authored an op-ed last week calling attention to the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women, and women-led and women-focused solutions. The organizations also teamed up for an Earth Day event as part of NHWF’s Women’s Wednesday series, discussing the role of women in the environmental movement. The virtual panel featured Congresswoman Annie Kuster, US Department of Energy Deputy Director of Energy Justice Shalanda Baker, and NH State Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka.

CANH + NHWF TAKE: In their op-ed, Tanna Clews and Rob Werner wrote: “As we celebrate Earth Day, we hope you’ll add a gender lens to your consideration of climate justice. The promise of solutions from bold women and eco-feminists that lead the fight against climate change, contrasted with the disproportionate burden that women bear for environmental harms, calls us to action. There is no climate justice without gender justice.”

KUSTER TAKE: Representative Annie Kuster tweeted, “As we celebrate #EarthDay2021, we recommit to combating #ClimateChange. With the support of @POTUS & the #AmericanJobsPlan, we’re on our way to building the clean energy economy of the future & a more resilient infrastructure to protect our environment for generations to come.

COMING UP:

May 8 — John Lewis Voting Rights Act Day of Action
June 1 — New Mexico 1st Congressional District Election

THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE ACTION(!) – APRIL 23, 2021

Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook and Twitter.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“This did not happen because the system worked. This happened because the people put in the work. At every hand, we had to press for the officers to be fired, for them to be charged, for there to be more serious charges.”

— Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist in Minneapolis in NPR article, “Activist: Convictions In George Floyd’s Death Could Represent ‘A Huge Paradigm Shift’”.

“The folks whose lives have been the most expendable have been people of color, indigenous communities and the descendants of enslaved people in our country. There are ramifications for that racism. For Black folks, it’s a slow form of lynching. Our present fight is very much connected to previous fights and struggles that those who come before us fought in order for us to be here.”

— Justin J. Pearson, a native of Southwest Memphis and co-founder of the grassroots group Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP), in an ABC article, “’This is environmental racism’: Black community in Memphis resists proposed crude oil pipeline”.

“For generations we’ve put off the transition to clean energy, and now we face a climate crisis. It has fallen on those communities: communities of color, poor communities. You can bet that I’m going to do everything I can to help those communities to have an opportunity to build back better.”

— Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Grist interview, “Deb Haaland is making room for marginalized communities in the Interior Department”

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LCV IN THE NEWS:

ABC: What Biden has done on climate change has activists applauding — and waiting
AP: Dems push $25B for electric school buses, a Biden priority
E&E News: Republicans’ $568B counteroffer draws mixed reviews
NBC: NAACP, teachers union part of group buying $1M ad spot in federal voting rights bill fight
WIVB4: Poloncarz joins 1,200+ leaders in signing letter urging Congress to pass the American Jobs Plan
Atlanta Tribune: National Voting Campaign Launches [VIDEO]
E&E News: La. race an energy fight between Dems in ‘Cancer Alley’
E&E News: LCV endorses Democratic nominee for Haaland seat
Financial Post: U.S. Treasury eyes corporate tax system as way to tackle climate change

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY:

LCV’s affiliates are hard at work protecting the environment and fighting climate change in the states. Here’s what people are reading across the country:

The Arizona Republic (AZ): A newsroom should match the diversity of its community. At The Republic, we’re closer to that goal than ever
The News & Observer (NC): In North Carolina, VP Harris pitches ‘good jobs’ tied to Biden infrastructure plan
KRWG – NPR/PBS (NM): Diverse Coalition of 21 Moves to Defend Biden Administration’s Oil, Gas Leasing Pause
Missoulian (MT): Opinion: The Montana Legislature should remember who they work for
WJCT (FL): Florida Elected Officials Join Environmentalists In Opposing Utility Preemption Bill
Richland Source (OH): Utility & fossil fuel interests still ahead in Ohio under House Bill 6
Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls Press (ID): Courts might decide fate of Idaho initiatives
NHPR (NH): ‘It’s My Future’: A New Generation Of Young Climate Activists Takes The Helm In New Hampshire
Grist (FL): Basically everyone in Florida is united against these new highways

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A MOMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY: On Tuesday, the jury in the case against Derek Chauvin found him guilty on all three murder charges for the murder of George Floyd. While this is one moment of accountability, it’s clear from the killings of Ma’Khia Bryant in Ohio and Andrew Brown Jr. in North Carolina by police officers just this week that the criminal justice system continues to be broken. Racial justice IS environmental justice — this work means nothing if Black communities are not safe in the very environment we’re fighting for. No one should fear persecution or death because of the color of their skin — all lives cannot matter until Black lives truly matter.

OUR TAKE: In response to the jury’s finding that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is guilty on all murder charges for killing George Floyd, LCV’s Chief Officer for Racial Justice and Equity Leslie R. Hinkson stated, “No court verdict will ever deliver real justice for racist, state-sanctioned violence against Black people. Nor can it erase the collective pain and trauma of those across the country, particularly Black people, who have had to repeatedly witness George Floyd’s murder, and live through more of these deaths even as this trial was underway. Today we are grateful that George Floyd’s killer will face consequences, yet we simultaneously grieve for Floyd, for Daunte Wright, for Adam Toledo, and for every Black, Indigenous and person of color who has endured systemic racism and abusive policing practices for generations. Real justice requires comprehensive policing reform and transforming the institution to protect all communities, rather than protecting some at the expense of others

LCV exists to protect our planet and everyone who inhabits it — but this work means nothing if Black communities are not safe in the very environment we’re fighting for. No one should fear persecution or death because of the color of their skin. Black Lives Matter.”

OBAMAS’ TAKE: Following the verdict, former President and First Lady Obama released a statement saying, “Today, a jury in Minneapolis did the right thing. True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day. It requires us to recognize that millions of our friends, family, and fellow citizens live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last. While today’s verdict may have been a necessary step on the road to progress, it was far from a sufficient one. We cannot rest. We will need to follow through with the concrete reforms that will reduce and ultimately eliminate racial bias in our criminal justice system. We will need to redouble efforts to expand economic opportunity for those communities that have been too long marginalized.” Read their full statement here.

51 TO 51: On Thursday, the House voted to pass H.R. 51, the Washington D.C. Admission Act, advancing the bill to the Senate for a vote. DC residents experience environmental injustice across the District, including air pollution, contamination of waterways, and even contamination of soil from leaking underground storage tanks. Underrepresented DC residents — over half of whom are people of color — are disproportionately impacted by toxic pollution and the climate crisis, and it’s past time for equal representation in our federal government and the fundamental right to self-govern for the more than 700,000 residents of our nation’s capital. Read our coalition letter from environmental organizations urging Congress to support H.R. 51 here.

OUR TAKE: LCV Voting Rights Program Director Justin Kwasa stated, “This is a victory for our democracy and environment. On this 51st anniversary of the first Earth Day, one of the very best things we can do to protect people and the planet is to ensure everyone can participate equitably in our political system. Low-income and Black communities have historically suffered the consequences of pollution and public health risks, and D.C. residents, more than half of whom are people of color, have experienced this environmental racism for generations — yet have been denied full representation in Congress. By establishing Washington D.C. as a state, while preserving a constitutionally required Federal District, this legislation finally grants power to the people, where it belongs. Now it’s up to the Senate to right a historic wrong, fully enfranchise the more than seven hundred thousand people in Washington, D.C., and realize our nation’s values of equal representation.”

TALKING CLEAN ENERGY: This week, President Biden and Vice President Harris took a look at what’s possible in manufacturing with a clean energy future. On Monday, Vice President Harris travelled to North Carolina to visit Thomas Built Buses, a unionized electric school bus manufacturing plant, to discuss the bold $20 billion dollar commitment to invest in converting gas and diesel buses to zero-emission electric. On Tuesday, President Biden virtually toured another electric school bus manufacturing plant in South Carolina, operated by Proterra. To close out the week, Vice President Harris travelled to New Hampshire on Friday, speaking on how clean energy jobs will help lead our nation in tackling the climate crisis while addressing equity and justice.

VP TAKE: During Monday’s remarks at Thomas Built Buses and North Carolina’s Guilford Technical Community college, Vice President Kamala Harris stated, “We are not going to take it slow, and we are not going to take it one step at a time. Nope. We are going to take a giant leap into the future. This Thomas bus is a model for the country and the world on what is possible.”

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Director Johana Vicente stated, “Vice President Harris is a true champion for kids and families facing the worst environmental pollution. After years of parents, students, and advocates organizing and speaking out for a clean ride for kids in their communities and statehouses, we were so proud to see the Biden-Harris administration include $20 billion in the American Jobs Plan to electrify school buses. This investment is a great starting point to create more good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the U.S. and ensure that all niños can breathe cleaner air in the formative years when their lungs are developing. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to get bold investments across the finish line for low-income communities of color who are most impacted by toxic pollution.”

NCLCV + AFL-CIO TAKE: North Carolina LCV Executive Director and LCV board member Carrie Clark and North Carolina State AFL-CIO President MaryBe McMillan published an op-ed prior to Harris’ visit stating, “As we recover from COVID-19, now is the time for millions of people to get back to work, with new jobs in a clean-energy economy. Clean-energy jobs are among the fastest-growing in America, particularly in North Carolina, and offer a huge opportunity for high-quality, union jobs that will help rebuild the middle class. With the president’s plan, we finally have a chance to address the intersecting health, economic, social and climate crises we face, through bold investments that can truly Build Back Better with justice and equity.”

CLEAN BUSES: On Wednesday, Representatives Jahana Hayes and Tony Cárdenas and Senators Alex Padilla and Raphael Warnock introduced the Clean Commute for Kids Act, a bill that would authorize a bold investment of $25 billion to rapidly transition almost a third of the nation’s school bus fleet to clean, electric buses over ten years — prioritizing grants to school districts serving the most impacted communities with unhealthy air pollution, which are often communities of color and communities with low wealth. Wednesday’s standalone bill introduction builds on the related provision Representatives Hayes and Cardenas helped place in the House’s CLEAN Future Act. Chispa and members of the national Electric School Bus (ESB) Coalition praised the electric school bus provision in the CLEAN Future Act earlier this year.

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Director Johana Vicente stated, “After years of parents, students, and advocates organizing for a clean ride for kids, we are excited to work with Congress to pass funding to bring more electric school buses to communities throughout the country. Investing $25 billion to help 25 million children riding school buses breathe cleaner air in the formative years when their lungs are developing will make a big difference in their lives. Directing significant portions of this funding to low-income communities of color, who face the worst effects of environmental pollution, will ensure that we are addressing the needs of impacted communities first. This is the bold investment that we need to accelerate the transition of the nation’s fleet from dirty, diesel-fueled school buses to zero-emission, electric school buses.”

OUR TAKE: LCV Government Affairs Advocate Darien Davis stated, “We applaud Representatives Cardenas and Hayes and Senators Padilla and Warnock for their deep commitment to advancing the manufacture and adoption of zero-emission school buses. Their proposal, which complements school bus pieces outlined in the American Jobs Plan, would create millions of good-paying union jobs. With a $25 billion investment in electric school buses, children across the country can breathe easier as they return back to in-person learning.”

51% ON 51ST: Thursday marked the 51st annual Earth Day and the start of the World Leaders’ Climate Summit, where President Biden announced a new commitment to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), aiming for the United States to reach a 50-52 percent reduction from 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. These renewed commitments, under the Paris Agreement we just rejoined, are a critical step towards the United States showing leadership in tackling the climate crisis on the world stage.

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “This is exactly the kind of strong international commitment we need to drive domestic ambition to solve the climate crisis, center environmental justice communities, and transition to a 100% clean energy economy once and for all. The Biden-Harris administration is off to the strongest start we’ve ever seen when it comes to action on climate and environmental justice and today’s announcement is another important piece of the larger picture. There is a clear path ahead — we must rapidly invest in just and equitable climate actions and infrastructure that creates millions of high-paying union jobs accessible to the communities, especially communities of color, who have been hit hardest by the nation’s interconnected crises. LCV is all in for international climate action and we look forward to working with this administration and Congress to move quickly as we work to pass recovery legislation that implements climate solutions, maintains and creates jobs here in the U.S., and propels America forward without leaving any communities behind.”

OUR DOUBLE TAKE: LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld stated, “President Biden has done more to combat the climate crisis, to advance clean energy and environmental justice in his first 100 days – it has been the strongest hundred days of any presidential administration ever when it comes to these issues. He campaigned more strongly on climate and environmental justice and clean energy than any presidential candidate ever. They focused a lot on it during the transition, and they really hit the ground running,”

LOCAL LEADERS ON AMERICAN JOBS PLAN: Less than three weeks after President Biden announced the American Jobs Plan, state and local officials from across the country are calling on Congress to pass an economic recovery plan centered around clean energy, climate, justice, and good paying union jobs. In a letter, organized by LCV and Climate Power, 1,266 signers representing all 50 states and Washington, DC asked Congressional leaders to “seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help our communities recover by creating and sustaining millions of good paying jobs, putting us on the path to 100% clean energy, and building a more equitable and just society.” See more statements from local electeds here and read the full letter here.

GOVERNOR’S TAKE: Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said, “Every Wisconsinite has experienced the effects of climate change, and communities of color, low-income Wisconsinites, and our farmers have been among those most disproportionately affected. It’s time we embrace a future where we don’t have to choose between protecting our environment and good-paying jobs and a strong economy—we can do both. That’s why I’m proud to support President Biden’s Build Back Better infrastructure investment plan that will do just that.”

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “This many signers from every corner of the country is the clearest call yet that state and local leaders have waited long enough for a real recovery plan that tackles climate change and invests in clean energy jobs. They know we have a once-in-a-generation chance to fix our broken infrastructure. We can put millions back to work in new good-paying, union jobs in the clean energy economy that address the climate crisis, decades of pollution, and environmental injustice. Congress should heed this clarion call for transformational action.”

GOP ON INFRASTRUCTURE: On Thursday, Senate Republicans introduced a gutted infrastructure plan that fails to address the climate crisis, clean energy, environmental justice, or good-paying, union jobs. Yesterday, over 1,200 state and local elected officials released a letter calling on Congress to pass President Biden’s American Jobs Plan. Additionally, new polling shows overwhelming and growing support for the American Jobs Plan and the inclusion of climate action in the proposal, with 68% of all voters supporting the plan after a short description and support growing to 71% after additional information is presented.

OUR TAKE: Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld stated, “The infrastructure proposal put forward by Senate Republicans is unacceptable and flies in the face of what voters — Republicans, Independents, and Democrats alike — are asking for: action on the climate crisis centered in justice and equity. And it’s shameful to see this plan introduced on Earth Day, of all days, with no mention of climate, clean energy, environmental justice, or good-paying union jobs.

The American Jobs Plan has the backing of labor unions, environmental organizations, environmental justice leaders, businesses, and local leaders from across the country — it’s not just good policy, it’s good politics. It’s disappointing to see Senate Republicans once again putting the special interests of big polluters first and failing to provide the investments required to propel our nation forward and ensure no community is left behind. When it comes to the climate crisis, time is not on our side. President Biden has proposed a transformational plan, and we are counting on Congress to seize this once-in a-generation opportunity.”

MILLION DOLLAR AD BUY FOR THE PEOPLE: This week, the Democracy for All 2021 Action Coalition, which includes LCV, the NAACP, the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of Teachers, Sierra Club, and other advocates, political organizations, and labor groups, launched a one million dollar ad campaign in Georgia, Arizona, New Hampshire, and DC to highlight how the For the People Act will expand voting rights and improve voting access for communities who face barriers to participate in our democracy. A healthy democracy and a healthy environment are inextricably linked — communities, often communities of color and low income communities, who face barriers to participating in our democracy are also the most impacted by poor environmental policies and electeds who put polluter interests before people.

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “Communities of color most impacted by toxic pollution and climate change are the same communities whose voices are being silenced by restrictive voting laws. Passing the For the People Act and unrigging our political system would return power to the overwhelming majority of people in this country who want to see meaningful action on climate change, environmental justice, and clean energy.”

NEW ENDORSEMENT ALERT: On Tuesday, LCV Action Fund, which works to elect pro-environment candidates, announced its endorsement of Melanie Stansbury for election to the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District. In 2018, Stansbury was the first woman and first Democrat elected to serve as state representative in House District 28 and has earned a 97 percent lifetime score from Conservation Voters New Mexico. During her time as a state representative, Stansbury passed legislation to foster resilience in food and water systems and support stewardship of energy resources, and introduced and passed a bill to modernize New Mexico’s electrical grid and advance a more data-driven approach to water management. Additionally, Stansbury has passed legislation to support New Mexico’s farmers in improving soil health and agricultural practices and to expand access to school meal programs. See Stansbury’s statement on the endorsement here.

CVNM TAKE: Conservation Voters New Mexico Political & Policy Director Ben Shelton stated, “Melanie was one of the top environmental policy minds in the Roundhouse the minute that she stepped into the building. Her skill and compassion as a legislator stood out immediately. I have no doubt that she will continue to be a rising star in the conservation and climate arena as the CD 1 representative in Washington D.C.”

OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld stated, “Representative Melanie Stansbury is one of the foremost environmental champions in the New Mexico legislature and we know she will be an incredible leader for climate and environmental justice in Congress. We are proud to support her for election because she will bring her expertise driving equitable and bold policies to Congress to fight for good-paying union jobs and continue Secretary Haaland’s strong legacy centering the voices of communities who are most impacted by the climate crisis and pollution.”

CLEAN ENERGY FOR AMERICA ACT: On Wednesday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden introduced the Clean Energy for America Act, which would overhaul the federal energy tax code, boost clean renewable energy, vehicles, and efficiency incentives, end fossil fuel subsidies, create jobs, and combat climate change.

OUR TAKE: LCV Legislative Director Matthew Davis stated, “We applaud Chairman Wyden for leading a visionary bill to accelerate our transition to clean electricity, transportation, and buildings. Taking a holistic, decade-long approach to tax incentives for decarbonizing these three major sectors, and eliminating subsidies for fossil fuels, would help put us on track to meet the science-based carbon reduction goals needed to stave off the most severe impacts of climate change, which is hurting communities of color and low wealth communities the most. We’re happy to see inclusion of requirements that will ensure this clean energy transition maintains and creates good-paying union jobs and look forward to making sure these investments also translate into domestic manufacturing of clean energy components and grow the U.S. supply chain.”

SPECIAL ELECTION SATURDAY: Tomorrow, Saturday, April 24th, is Special Election Day in Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District. Last week, LCV Victory Fund announced a new $400,000 advertising campaign, including TV and radio ads, to elect Karen Carter Peterson to represent Louisiana’s 2nd District. Parts of Louisiana’s 2nd District have nearly double the risk of cancer than most of the U.S. due to dangerously polluted air from fossil fuel-burning oil, gas and petrochemical plants — prompting U.N. experts to raise concerns about the area known as “Cancer Alley”. Watch the ad, “Playground,” here.

EXPERT TAKE: U.N. human rights experts from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stated, “This form of environmental racism poses serious and disproportionate threats to the enjoyment of several human rights of its largely African American residents, including the right to equality and non-discrimination, the right to life, the right to health, right to an adequate standard of living and cultural rights. The African American descendants of the enslaved people who once worked the land are today the primary victims of deadly environmental pollution that these petrochemical plants in their neighbourhoods have caused. We call on the United States and St. James Parish to recognise and pay reparations for the centuries of harm to Afro-descendants rooted in slavery and colonialism.”

OUR TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Pete Maysmith stated.“For too long, polluters have gotten rich at the expense of south Louisiana communities — especially the communities of color suffering on the frontlines of toxic pollution in Cancer Alley. Karen Carter Peterson has experienced some of the worst impacts of climate change and toxic pollution first hand and she is the passionate leader we need to deliver climate and environmental justice for the residents of Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District.”

CHISPA ARIZONA CLIMATE EVENT PREVIEW!: Tomorrow, Saturday, April 24th, Chispa Arizona is partnering with EDF, Corazon Latino, and Climate Power to co-host a town hall with Univision Arizona both on television and online for a discussion on steps all of us can take to help heal our planet and combat the climate crisis while creating jobs and economic prosperity. Watch the livestream here.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

NEBRASKA UTILITY TAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD SOLAR: Earlier this month the Omaha Public Power District signed a contract to build an 81-megawatt solar farm – the state’s first utility-scale solar project. In 2019, OPPD committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and announced a plan to develop 600 megawatts of solar. This new solar project will generate enough electricity to power 14,000 homes.

CVM TAKE: Chelsea Johnson, Deputy Director of Nebraska Conservation Voters said “NCV is excited about the progress that this project, which will soon be Nebraska’s largest solar farm, signifies for Nebraska’s transition to a clean energy economy. This project is the first step toward achieving OPPD’s 600 MW solar commitment and will help OPPD meet its decarbonization goal.”

CALIFORNIA BANS FRACKING: Today California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a ban on fracking in the state by 2024. The directive calls for the Department of Conservation, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, to create a mandate to stop issuing permits for new fracking projects. Newsome also included a charge for the California Air Resources Board to examine how the state could completely phase out oil extraction by no later than 2045. This is the latest action from the Governor to make progress on California’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

CVM TAKE: California League of Conservation Voters Chief Executive Officer, Mary Creasman, said: “The Governor’s announcement is the consistent leadership our state needs if we stand a chance of preventing major climate catastrophe. As wildfire season approaches, this is the critical next step that California must take in addressing the driving cause of the climate crisis head on–our dependence on oil and gas. We thank Governor Newsom for using the tools at his disposal to ensure the climate fight continues in California when corporate and special interests defeat critical legislative efforts.

As important as this action is, this is just a piece of the policy change that needs to happen this year. Millions of Californians, primarily low-income people of color, live near dangerous oil and gas extraction sites and can’t wait for their government to protect them from the public health impacts they are experiencing daily. The Legislature needs to do their job and pass Senate Bill 467 to ban oil and gas production now. Today’s announcement is the beginning of the conversation when it comes to transitioning away from fossil fuels, and we will work with partners and leadership to expand these goals to gas, accelerate this transition to 2030 and 2035, and ensure communities most impacted health-wise and economically are supported and protected.”

OFFSHORE WIND OPTIMISM IN MAINE: On Thursday, Maine Conservation Voters Civic Engagement Manager, Will Sedlack, wrote an op-ed for Bangor Daily News, highlighting the exciting economic and environmental benefits offshore wind can bring to Maine. Read the full op-ed here.

MCV TAKE: Maine Conservation Voters Civic Engagement Manager Will Sedlack stated, “The development of offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine represents a tremendous economic, environmental, and community development opportunity for our state. The prospect of wind turbines right outside our visual but within our economic horizon, simultaneously propelling us into a better climate and clean energy jobs future, is something to celebrate.”

NOT SO SUNNY NEVADA: Currently rooftop solar is only available to property owners in Nevada – limiting access for low-income communities and communities of color. While there are some initiatives to expand solar access in the state, more needs to be done and Chispa Nevada is fighting to change that. Program Director, Rudy Zamora, was quoted in an article this week in Las Vegas Weekly talking about the need for greater and more equitable solar access.

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Nevada Program Director Rudy Zamora stated, “I’ve been fighting for rooftop solar access, especially in communities of color. A lot of [people in] our community don’t own their roof, so we can’t put rooftop solar on or make that decision ourselves, because we’re renting. So we’re looking at other ways to make solar more accessible to communities. In my ideal world, equitable solar would be something that everyone would have access to.”

COMING UP:

April 24 — Louisiana 2nd Congressional District Runoff Election
April 28 — President Biden to address a Joint Session of Congress
April 29 — Biden-Harris administration’s 100th day in office
May 8 — John Lewis Voting Rights Act Day of Action
June 1 — New Mexico 1st Congressional District Election

LCV & Chispa Statement on VP Harris’ Clean School Buses Announcement

Washington, D.C. — In response to Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to an electric school bus manufacturer in North Carolina today where she highlighted the proposed $20 billion investment in clean, electric school buses in the American Jobs Plan, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Chispa issued the following statement from Chispa National Director Johana Vicente:

“Vice President Harris is a true champion for kids and families facing the worst environmental pollution. After years of parents, students, and advocates organizing and speaking out for a clean ride for kids in their communities and statehouses, we were so proud to see the Biden-Harris administration include $20 billion in the American Jobs Plan to electrify school buses.

“This investment is a great starting point to create more good-paying manufacturing jobs here in the U.S. and ensure that all niños can breathe cleaner air in the formative years when their lungs are developing. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to get bold investments across the finish line for low-income communities of color who are most impacted by toxic pollution.”

As a Senator, Kamala Harris introduced the first piece of federal legislation to prioritize the electrification of school buses in low-income communities and communities of color, the Clean School Bus Act.

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THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE ACTION(!) – APRIL 9, 2021

Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook and Twitter.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“Facilities intentionally place themselves in communities where they will not get pushback from the communities. And when they do get pushback from the communities, it still doesn’t stop them from placing themselves there.”

— Bakeyah Nelson, executive director of Air Alliance Houston in KPRC 2 report, “Residents fight for environmental justice in Houston neighborhoods dealing with hazardous sites and air pollution”.

“If your Zip code is buried with garbage, chemical plants, pollution … you’ll find there are more people that are sick, more diabetes and heart disease. Covid is like a heat-seeking missile zeroing in on the most vulnerable communities.”

— Robert Bullard, a professor at Texas Southern University and the author of “Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality” in Washington Post article, “‘This is Environmental Racism’: How a protest in a North Carolina farming town sparked a national movement”.

“There’s hundreds of Flints all across America. How many of you know, when you send your child to school, the fountain they’re drinking out of is not fed by a lead pipe? How many of you know the school your child is in still has asbestos in the walls and lacks the ventilation? Is that not infrastructure?”

— President Biden during remarks on the American Jobs Plan this week.

“If we grow jobs of the future in clean energy we can make our world sustainable and hand our grandchildren a future we can be proud of.”

— Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor during an event on climate justice hosted by HBCU Green Fund to, “make the case for infrastructure based on jobs, environment”.

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LCV IN THE NEWS:

E&E News: Biden budget seeks major investments in energy, environment
E&E News: Granholm defends scope of Biden’s $2T proposal
Washington Examiner: Daily on Energy: Carbon capture industry sees huge boost within reach
Politico: Granholm defends Biden’s infrastructure plan from Republican attacks
E&E News: Battle erupts over the definition of ‘infrastructure’

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY:

LCV’s affiliates are hard at work protecting the environment and fighting climate change in the states. Here’s what people are reading across the country:

Washington Post (MD): Maryland lawmakers debate how forests lost to development should be replaced
Morrisons Cove Harold (PA): In Pa. Visit, Biden Proposes $16 Billion For Plugging Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells
NJ Insider (NJ): To keep our air from getting filthy, we must move faster | Opinion
Las Cruces Sun News (NM): ‘Community solar’ becomes law in New Mexico, to help shift away from oil and gas
WLRN (FL): Housing, Environmental Advocates Blast Housing Fund Sweep
Independent Record (MT): Time for a better deal for Montanans on oil, gas resources
Pennsylvania Capital Star (PA): ‘Not just climate change’: An activist explains how Biden’s infrastructure plan improves the environment
Concord Monitor (NH): Preserving winter: Climate change and the uncharted effect on N.H. tourism
Living on Earth (NY): Biden Boosts Offshore Wind

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HAALAND IN UTAH: On Wednesday, Interior Secretary Haaland travelled to Utah to meet with stakeholders as part of the review of former President Trump’s slashing the size and protections of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. This visit is a step towards prioritizing Indigenous communities in stakeholder engagements after the Trump years of ignoring groups such as the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition — who have called for reinstating protections to these sacred and ecologically significant national monuments that polluters would irrevocably damage. For more information on Bears Ears National Monument and the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC) check out this helpful backgrounder from Utah Diné Bikéyah (UDB).

NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENTIAL TAKE: Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez stated, “This was an opportunity to share with Secretary Haaland the significance of Bears Ears to the Navajo people. This landscape is home to many historical and cultural sites, plants, water, traditional medicines, and teachings for our people. It also provided refuge for our people in times of conflict. One of our most notable leaders, Chief Manuelito, was born there, but it is more than that. Bears Ears is sacred and it deserves to be protected.”

OUR TAKE: Conservation Program Director Alex Taurel stated, “Secretary Haaland’s engagement with local stakeholders, particularly Indigenous communities, is a welcome change from the previous administration, which ignored the calls of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition and those of millions of people across the country when they unlawfully removed protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monuments. We are confident that Secretary Haaland’s review of the cultural, historical, and scientific importance of these national monuments will inspire President Biden to swiftly follow through on campaign promises to restore protections and provide Tribes with a greater role in the management of culturally significant landscapes.”

GOP BACKTRACKING ON INFRASTRUCTURE: In the days since President Biden announced the American Jobs Plan, Republicans keep claiming it isn’t a ‘real infrastructure’ plan — but the hypocrisy couldn’t be more evident with Republicans’ long history of supporting wide-ranging investments in our nation’s infrastructure. The reality is, Biden’s American Jobs Plan will make a once in a generation investment in America, rebuild our infrastructure and put millions of people back to work in new good-paying, union jobs in the clean energy economy while tackling climate change and environmental racism. The plan itself, and investments in infrastructure and clean energy, are extremely popular — even with a majority of Republican voters. See a handful of examples of Republican support for infrastructure below and find more here.

@ENERGY TAKE: During an event LCV hosted this week, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm stated, “I think that’s just an attack that doesn’t make sense in the 21st century … the rail, ports, airports, bridges, roads, broadband, transmission, water, all of that is classic infrastructure, whether [Republicans] want to admit that or not.”

DAINES TAKE: In 2018, Senator Steve Daines stated, “Infrastructure seems to be on the top of many minds lately, not the least of which is our president’s infrastructure. And that doesn’t just mean roads and bridges, it also includes broadband, national parks, and, important for today and really important to Montana, energy infrastructure.”

TILLIS TAKE: On August 5, 2020, Senator Thom Tillis stated, “With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing our economy to a grinding halt, we should be … supporting job-creating energy infrastructure projects.”

POLLUTER $$ IN POLITICS: On Wednesday, as part of the For the People Week of Action, LCV co-hosted a virtual event featuring LCV Voting Rights Program Director Justin Kwasa, Greenpeace Executive Director Annie Leonard, True North Research Executive Director Lisa Graves, Common Cause Senior Counsel Stephen Spaulding, and Georgia Sierra Club Conservation Organizer Angela Jiang, focusing on the influence of polluter money in politics, its negative impact on elections and environmental policy, and how S.1, the For the People Act, levels the playing field for more equitable representation in some of the most impacted communities — particularly communities of color and low-wealth communities. This year, 43 states have already introduced, prefiled, or carried over more than 250 bills to restrict or limit voting access — intentionally written to suppress the record numbers of Black and Brown voters who overcame barriers to vote last year. The restrictive voting law passed in Georgia last month is only the latest example, with potentially more on the way. The For the People Act would supersede these suppressive state laws that disproportionately silence people of color, young people, and people with disabilities and modernize our voting system to ensure a consistent and accessible process for voters across the country — especially for communities devastated by polluter interests. See the event and statements from our panel here.

OUR TAKE: LCV Voting Rights Program Director Justin Kwasa stated, “S.1 is the most ambitious shot at improving our democracy that we’ve seen in recent memory. The millions of dollars of polluter money in our politics drowns out the voices of communities most impacted by toxic pollution and climate change and negatively influences the priorities of our lawmakers.”

KICK OFF: On Monday, activists from coast to coast kicked off the For the People Week of Action with events focusing on protecting the right to vote. See photos from the activism event in front of the U.S. Capitol here.

AMERICAN JOBS PLAN: On Wednesday, President Biden gave additional remarks regarding the American Jobs Plan released last week, reiterating that we must make bold, once in a generation investments towards a clean energy future and the jobs to get us there — while prioritizing the communities most impacted by polluters and the climate crisis, particularly communities of color and low-wealth communities. This administration’s commitment for 40 percent of the benefits of climate and clean infrastructure investments to go to the most at-risk communities, to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2035, to replace all lead drinking water pipes, and to electrify most transit buses and much of the nation’s school buses are significant steps towards tackling the climate crisis while rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and prioritizing the communities most impacted by the multiple crises our nation is facing. The Treasury Department also released the parallel Made In America Tax Plan which contains the major tax provisions to incentivize clean energy, transportation, and building systems, end fossil fuel subsidies, and pay for necessary, bold infrastructure investments. See our memo on why centering clean energy, justice, and jobs in our economic recovery is both good policy and good politics and our note last week debunking polluter allies’ opposition.

PRESIDENTIAL TAKE: President Biden stated, “Talk to folks around the country about what really makes up the foundation of a good economy. Ask a teacher or a childcare worker if having clean drinking water — non-contaminated drinking water in our schools, in our childcare centers is part of that foundation — when we know that the lead in our pipes slows a child’s development when they drink that water.

Ask the entrepreneur whose small business was destroyed by the second 100-year flood in the last 10 years in Iowa — or wildfires in the West that burned 5 million acres last year, an area roughly the size of the entire state of New Jersey. More fires than ever. Or the devastating damage — seeing more frequent and more intense hurricanes and storms on the East and Gulf Coasts.

Ask all those farmers and small-business owners and homeowners whether investing in clean energy to fight the effects of climate change is part of infrastructure.”

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Director Johana Vicente stated,“The American Jobs Plan’s promise to electrify 20% of school buses is a great first step toward 100% clean buses for healthy ninos. Black, Indigenous, and children of color deserve to breathe clean air, especially on their way to and from school. Recognizing the urgency and existential threat of the climate crisis, which communities of color bear most, is a step in the right direction — we must rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, power our country with clean energy, and right the wrongs of past environmental injustices.”

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski stated, “Today, President Biden made clear once again that we can’t afford not to make a once in a generation investment in jobs, justice, and climate action. The American Jobs Plan has the backing of labor unions, environmental organizations, environmental justice leaders, businesses, and local leaders from across the country. The majority of voters — Republican, Democratic, and independent alike — understand what’s at stake and support these investments in infrastructure and clean energy. It’s time for Congress to take up and pass recovery legislation that implements climate solutions, maintains and creates jobs here in the U.S., and propels America forward without leaving any communities behind.”

GRANHOLM ON ENERGY: On Tuesday, LCV hosted a virtual event featuring Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm, LCV board member and former U.S. Representative (MD-04) Donna Edwards, founder of the ReGenesis Community Development Corporation, member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and former South Carolina State Representative Harold Mitchell, Director of Regulatory and State Policy at United Steelworkers Anna Fendley, and LCV Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo. The speakers discussed the strategy for advancing bold economic recovery legislation that dramatically scales clean energy, invests in solutions that benefit environmental justice communities, and creates and sustains millions of family-supporting, high quality union jobs. Watch the event here.

@ENERGY TAKE: Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm stated, “The American people want to see massive, historic, once-in-a-generation investments in our clean energy future, and that’s exactly what this Administration is going to deliver. Between the new American Jobs Plan and DOE’s ongoing work, we’re going to Build Back Better by bringing new clean energy technologies online, creating millions of good-paying union jobs, and righting historic wrongs for communities that have been hit first, and worst, by climate change.”

UNITED STEELWORKERS TAKE: United Steelworkers Director of Regulatory and State Policy Anna Fendley stated, “Working people must be at the center of our country’s response to tackling the interwoven crises of economic inequality and climate change. We are ready to work alongside the Biden administration and Congress to maintain and create high-quality union jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, revitalize American manufacturing and make our communities healthier.”

WHITE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER TAKE: Founder of the ReGenesis Community Development Corporation, member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and former South Carolina State Representative Harold Mitchell stated, “When we talk about transitioning our nation to a 100% clean energy future and building back better we have to talk about centering community-revitalization and addressing the environmental injustices faced by communities of color after generations of disinvestment. This means making lasting investments in communities to ensure they are free of toxic pollution, and have access to affordable clean energy and good-paying union jobs.”

BLUEPRINT BUDGET: On Friday, the Biden-Harris administration outlined their initial budget blueprint to Congress — showing a commitment of major investments to rebuild and tackle the climate crisis with an all of government approach. Their proposal calls for investments in climate research and innovation to develop solutions and understand the links between climate change and public health, investments in climate resilience as the nation sees natural disasters related to the climate crisis, and investments in equity for communities most impacted by polluters and environmental racism.

OUR TAKE: LCV Legislative Director Matthew Davis stated, “Elections have consequences. We are encouraged to see the Biden-Harris administration put their money where their mouth is and re-affirm an all of government commitment with $14 billion for climate action and justice for communities most impacted by toxic pollution and the impacts of the climate crisis in their budget blueprint. We’re especially thrilled to see the administration’s focus on rebuilding and boosting government agencies’ core capacities to support and complement the visionary investments outlined in the American Jobs Plan and the Made in America Tax Plan. We desperately need this historic and robust budget with climate action and environmental justice at the center in order to meet the scale of the interwoven crises we face. The voters who overcame historic barriers to elect President Biden and Vice President Harris are counting on it.”

DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE: On Friday, the Biden administration decided to not take action to shut down the Dakota Access oil pipeline as the Army Corps of Engineers conducts a new, court-ordered environmental impacts review.

OUR TAKE: LCV Legislative Director Matthew Davis stated, “While the Biden administration is doing a lot of good for the environment and blocking other dirty pipelines, we strongly disagree with their decision not to shut down the dirty and dangerous Dakota Access oil pipeline while they conduct a legally required review of the pipeline’s environmental impacts. This decision jeopardizes clean air, safe drinking water, and the health and safety of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and millions downstream. LCV stands in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux and the many activists who have led the fight against DAPL for years. No community should have to endure a dirty pipeline jeopardizing their access to clean water or destroying sacred places of cultural and spiritual importance. The Biden administration must do the right thing and permanently shut the pipeline down after the Environmental Impact Statement is completed. ”

POWER DOWN POLLUTANTS: On Tuesday, environmental advocates urged President Biden to strengthen a suite of federal standards to protect the climate and people’s health from dangerous pollution that continues to spew from the nation’s coal and methane power plants. The groups are calling for bold protections tackling the toxic pollutants power plants emit — causing harm to public health and communities, particularly communities on the front lines of environmental racism and low-wealth communities. In addition, the letter calls for ambitious clean energy investments and further EPA authority to curb pollution. Read the group’s full letter and calls to action here.

COALITION TAKE: The coalition letter stated, “Coal- and gas-fired power plants are among the country’s largest industrial source of dangerous air pollution…Three-quarters of coal-fired plants still lack modern air pollution controls 30 years after the Clean Air Act was last amended, and every year they also discharge more than a billion pounds of toxic chemicals and other pollutants into the nation’s waterways and dump tens of millions of tons of coal ash into ponds and landfills that can leach into rivers and groundwater. As a result, these power plants still cause tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of illnesses each year, are the nation’s largest stationary source of climate pollution, and cause massive damage to ecosystems and agriculture. The health harms, climate impacts, and other damages fall disproportionately on overburdened and disadvantaged communities.”

NEW BOARD MEMBERS: Last week, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (LCVEF) boards welcomed United Steelworkers (USW) International Vice President at Large Roxanne Brown, physician Dr. Lisa Minsky-Primus, and Innovo Foundation and Step Up in Crisis founder Ning Mosberger-Tang as LCV’s newest board members, as well as Washington Conservation Voters CEO Alyssa Macy as LCVEF’s newest board member. LCV and LCVEF are excited for this all-star group of women to use their incredible expertise and passion for engaging policymakers and stakeholders to protect the environment, support workers, promote democracy, and advocate for solutions that value the intersection of climate, justice, and jobs. See the full release with board member bios here.

LCVEF BOARD MEMBER TAKE: Washington Conservation Voters CEO, Alyssa Macy stated, “I have seen firsthand how climate instability impacts frontline communities, who bear the most burden of toxic pollution and the climate crisis — and how these same communities have taken bold action to mitigate these impacts. I’m honored to bring my passion for environmental justice to my work with LCVEF to help ensure that those most affected by environmental harm are at the table, informing and making decisions in meaningful ways.”

LCV BOARD MEMBER TAKE: United Steelworkers International vice president at large Roxanne Brown stated, “I have spent my career advocating for workers, and I am thrilled to join an organization that prioritizes the creation of high-quality, good-paying union jobs, clean energy infrastructure and American manufacturing. When the labor and climate movements work together we can build a brighter future for everyone.”

LCV BOARD MEMBER DOUBLE TAKE: Dr. Lisa Minsky-Primus, a physician and philanthropist stated, “The link between a healthy community and a healthy democracy is clear. I am excited to join an organization that is committed to reforming our democracy and making sure that people — particularly people of color, young people, and people with disabilities who have been targeted and silenced by restrictive voting laws and partisan gerrymandering — have access to a more just and equitable democratic process.”

LCV BOARD MEMBER TRIPLE TAKE: Founder of Innovo Foundation and board member of LCV affiliate Conservation Colorado Ning Mosberger-Tang stated, ”We must reform democracy to give power back to the people, which will refocus our government on their priorities like protecting the future of the planet. Democracy is about showing up, and I am eager to use the lessons I’ve learned organizing people around voting to help an organization that shares my values.”

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

SOLAR IN NEW MEXICO (NM): On Monday, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed S.B.84, the Community Solar Act, into law, which will establish a statewide community solar program. The program is intended to expand access to solar power for low-wealth communities, requiring that 30 percent of each community solar facility serve low-income users. Making clean energy more accessible for more communities is a significant step towards transitioning towards a clean energy future.

OUR TAKE: Conservation Voters New Mexico Policy Director Ben Shelton, stated, “Governor Lujan Grisham’s signing of the Community Solar Act is another step down the renewable energy path laid out by the groundbreaking Energy Transition Act in 2019,” Shelton said. “Community Solar will bring equitable access to the solar market and provide badly needed economic stimulus to businesses, local governments and the state. Along with other legislation waiting for the Governor’s signature, Community Solar will further a just transition for New Mexico’s renewable energy economy.”

TAINTED THIRST PREVIEW! (NV): Next week, on Thursday, April 15th at 4pm PDT, Nevada Conservation League (NCL) and The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada will host a screening of Tainted Thirst, a documentary focused on how the mining industry is negatively impacting our air quality, water sanctity, and the lives of Indigenous & rural Nevadans alike. Open-pit mining accounts for 90% of mining operations in Nevada, and the more than 30 gold and silver mines currently in operation throughout the state are polluting public and Indigenous lands and depleting water resources at an alarming rate. Following the film, NCL will give a briefing regarding pressing mining legislation, an open discussion, and opportunities to take action. RSVP for the event here.

COMING UP:

April 14 — The House Oversight Committee will vote on H.R. 51, D.C. Statehood
April 15 — LCVNV Screening of Tainted Thirst
April 15 — Public comment closing to inform the Interior’s interim report of the federal oil and gas program. Submit by email submission at: energyreview@ios.doi.gov.
April 21 — Women’s Wednesday with Congresswoman Kuster and the NH Women’s Foundation
April 22 — Earth Day & World Leaders Summit on Climate Change
April 24 — Louisiana 2nd Congressional District Runoff Election

Coalition Response to Clean School Bus Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2021

Contacts:
Pita Juarez, Chispa: pjuarez@lcv.org, 602-413-4421
Judith Nemes, ELPC: jnemes@elpc.org, 773-892-7494
Siham Zniber, Earthjustice: szniber@earthjustice.org
Mariah Chinchilla, Dream Corps Green For All: mariah@dreamcorps.us, 510-272-7522
Ethan Evans, U.S. PIRG: ethan@pirg.org, 931-691-0905

Electric School Bus Advocates Welcome Re-Introduction of the Clean School Bus Act in Congress as First Step

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) reintroduced the Clean School Bus Act in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Electric school buses advocates — who are part of the national Electric School Bus (ESB) Coalition, a diverse partnership of civil society organizations representing equity, labor, public health, clean energy, and environmental organizations — issued the following statements:

Johana Vicente, National Director of Chispa, a community organizing program of the League of Conservation Voters, said:
“We thank Senators Cortez Masto and Murray and Representatives Hayes and Cárdenas for leading this effort to help school districts upgrade from diesel-fueled school buses to zero-emission school buses. This is a strong down payment on our way to reaching full electrification of the nation’s school bus fleet. We know that we need so much more to ensure that 25 million children, especially in communities of color and low-income communities, are breathing healthy air on their way to school and in their neighborhoods. We look forward to working together to boost funding to accelerate the transition of the U.S. polluting school bus fleet to zero emissions.”

Susan Mudd, Senior Policy Advocate, Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), said:
“We look forward to kids getting back to school. The 25 million U.S. children who ride on school buses every day deserve a clean, healthy ride instead of breathing asthma-inducing fumes from dirty diesel buses. We need to replace the dirty diesel fleet with zero-emission electric buses that protect students’ health, their communities and the climate. We welcome the Clean School Bus Act, which will help support the transition to pollution-free electric buses across the Midwest and the country.”

Athena Motavvef, Associate Legislative Representative with Earthjustice, said:
“Electrifying our nation’s school bus fleet is an important step towards reaching our goal of zero emissions and 100% clean energy. The Clean School Bus Act puts us on the path to eliminating the diesel emissions too many children breathe, and protects our local air and climate. We are thankful for Senator Cortez Masto, Senator Murray, and Representative Hayes’ and Representative Cárdenas’ leadership on this important effort and look forward to working with them to ensure a zero-emissions future for future generations.”

Michelle Romero, National Director of Dream Corps Green For All, said:
“Electric school buses have zero tailpipe emissions, toxins, and carcinogens known to cause asthma and cancer, which means our kids can breathe easier,” said Michelle Romero, National Director of Dream Corps Green For All. “The Clean School Bus Act is an important step to put our kids on buses going forward toward a clean energy future that is safer and healthier for both kids and communities as schools reopen for in-person learning.”

Ethan Evans, Campaign Associate at U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), said:
“Getting to school shouldn’t include a daily dose of toxic pollution or contribute to our warming climate. We’re grateful to Senator Cortez Masto, Senator Murray, Representative Hayes and Representative Cardenas for putting childrens’ health first and championing electric school buses. The Clean School Bus Act will help tackle the existential threat of climate change, clean up our air and accelerate the process towards a zero-emission future.”

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New Report on Climate and Environmental Justice Leadership from the Tri-Caucus

Washington, D.C. — Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released a new report examining the environmental records of members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), collectively referred to as the Tri-Caucus. Using data from LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard, the report details how members of the Tri-Caucus were champions of strong environmental policies that address environmental injustice, helped chair a record number of hearings about climate change, and led on many of the critical pro-environmental bills during the 116th Congress.

LCV hosted a virtual event to launch the report today in partnership with Luz Collective, featuring House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl Grijalva, Congressman Donald McEachin, and environmental justice advocate and National Co-Coordinator of the Environmental Justice Health Alliance for Chemical Policy Reform Michele Roberts. Watch the event recording here.

The 116th Congress included 22 new members of color who were sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. This historic Congress held a record breaking 119 hearings on the climate crisis in the House alone and introduced the most environmental justice bills ever, including the Environmental Justice for All Act led by Representative Donald McEachin and Chair Raúl Grijalva, and the Environmental Justice Act led by then Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The report also highlights the Clean School Bus Act led by Representative Jahana Hayes and then Senator Harris. Read the full report here.

“I want to thank the League of Conservation Voters for their critical efforts to protect the Grand Canyon and prioritize The Environmental Justice for All Act,” said Chair Raúl Grijalva. “We will need an all hands on deck approach if we are to combat the climate crisis and ensure frontline communities are not left behind. I look forward to partnering with LCV to pass comprehensive environmental justice legislation and preserve our public lands through the Grand Canyon Protection Act.”

“Last year, despite years of destructive, anti-environment policies under the Trump administration, we took great strides in the U.S. House of Representatives to champion a sustainable future for all,” said Congressman Donald McEachin. “Climate change is the challenge that will define our future and I look forward to continuing the shared fight for bold, inclusive environmental justice solutions alongside the League of Conservation Voters in the 117th Congress.”

“Members of the Tri-Caucuses have championed important pro-environment legislation rooted in justice and equity that has set the stage for the 117th Congress and the Biden administration to act swiftly and boldly — LCV applauds their history-making leadership and vision,” said LCV Legislative Representative Darien Davis. “The global pandemic has only exacerbated environmental racism in this country and amplified the need for all communities to breathe clean air and have access to outdoor spaces. We look forward to our continued partnership with Tri-Caucus members to combat the climate crisis, address environmental injustice, and protect our lands, air, and water.”

“For decades, low-income communities of color have been forced to live in neighborhoods with dirtier air, experiencing the worst effects of climate change and environmental injustices, so it is no surprise to see that people of color are some of the strongest advocates for climate action,” said Chispa National Director Johana Vicente. “Tri-Caucus members in the 116th Congress understand this and have championed legislation that would prioritize cleaning up the air our communities breathe, like the Clean School Bus Act — a bill that would transition dirty diesel buses to zero-emission, electric school buses in the low-income communities of color where children’s health most suffers from toxic pollution. Tri-Caucus members’ leadership is more important than ever, as our communities demand equitable, overdue access to a healthy environment.”

“Environmental justice leaders and grassroots organizers have been working so hard for decades to ensure communities never again have to deal with environmental racism and environmental injustice, and with the work of these Tri-Caucus members and the new Biden Harris administration we know there is a mandate for this action,” said National Co-Coordinator of the Environmental Justice Health Alliance for Chemical Policy Reform Michele Roberts. “These issues must continue to be addressed with the people and communities who hold the solutions at the center. Together, we will make sure that not one community is left behind.”

“BIPOC communities have witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change . From wildfires and other natural disasters, to the defense of and search for clean water, clean air, and green public spaces — the need for equitable solutions to the climate crisis has never been more apparent,” said Luz Collective Co-Founder Lucy Flores. “Luckily, thanks to these Congressional members of Color in the Tri-Caucus, we are seeing the legislative leadership on environmental justice that we need to make a cleaner and more just future for our communities a reality.”

Landmark legislation such as the Environmental Justice For All Act was made possible by environmental justice leaders like Michele Roberts who have been fighting against environmental racism for decades and for the basic rights of their communities to have healthy places to live, work, play and pray.

The 2020 National Environmental Scorecard will be released in the coming weeks.

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LCV, Chispa Statements on House Passage of FY21 Funding Bills

Washington, D.C. — In response to the passage of funding for important environmental programs as part of the FY21 funding bill for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Interior (DOI) through the House of Representatives today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statements from Legislative Director Matthew Davis and Chispa National Director Johana Vicente:

LCV Legislative Director Matthew Davis:

“Thank you to the pro-environment led House for passing funding bills that will help address our country’s legacy of environmental injustice, invest in healthy and safe communities, and protect our public lands and waters from Big Polluters. This forward-looking House budget will immediately help people, especially people of color suffering the most from the ongoing health, climate, and economic crises. The contrast with President Trump’s environmentally racist, pro-corporate polluter spending proposal that slashed environmental programs by almost a third could not be more stark.

“We desperately need to block the Trump EPA from finalizing its anti-science, inadequate air quality standards for particulate matter, particularly since it worsens COVID-19 infection and death rates, and commend Representatives Blunt Rochester, McEachin, Tonko, and Rush for leading a key floor amendment to do so. Critically, thanks to Representative Dingell and bipartisan cosponsors, the bill also prohibits the Trump administration from backtracking on urgently needed efforts to regulate toxic PFAS. We also want to thank the House for taking steps to address the legacy of racism in taxpayer funded sites by including provisions for the removal of Confederate symbols on our public lands, Capitol grounds, and military bases in the Interior appropriations bill as well as other funding bills.

“Other highlights of the bill include investments in the Environmental Justice, Superfund, Brownfields, and Diesel Emissions Reduction Act programs, and efforts to block extraction in or near the Arctic Refuge, Chaco Canyon, the Boundary Waters, the Tongass National Forest, and off our coasts. Importantly, the bill also adds an additional $10.2 billion to the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds and would block attempts of the Trump administration to take away states’ rights to protect their waterways, weaken the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for power plants, and suppress science used in rulemaking.”

Chispa National Director Johana Vicente on the increased and emergency supplemental funding for programs to cut diesel pollution and electrify school buses:

“Black, Indigenous and children of color deserve to breathe clean air, especially on their way to and from school. Dirty diesel school buses are putting the health of millions of children at risk, especially Black, Indigenous, and Latinx children who already bear the burden of environmental pollution. We commend Congresswoman Hayes and Subcommittee Chair McCollum for following the lead of states across the country that have begun the transition to zero-emission, electric school buses. By prioritizing our children’s health, we can start to build a more just and equitable clean energy future.”

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LCV’s Chispa Is in the Fight for Black Lives Matter

There can be no environmental justice without racial and social justice. The Chispa family stands united in making this clear: Black lives matter.

As a program working with communities of color and dedicated to building the power of Latinx families in the fight for environmental justice, we cannot stay silent while systemic racism devalues the lives, livelihoods and freedoms of Black people.

When we fight for our families’ rights to breathe clean air, we must also fight for their basic right to breathe — breathe free of a culture of white supremacy and systemic racism that has killed not only George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade, but thousands of Black people across the country.

Through centuries of systemic racism — from being redlined out of neighborhoods to being forced to drink contaminated water and breathe dirtier air, to bearing the brunt of police brutality, COVID-19 and climate change — Black communities have suffered disproportionately.

Our movement cannot wait any longer to act. We must work together now to eradicate white supremacy, confront anti-Blackness in our communities, and hold oppressors accountable as we do with polluters.

Chispa supports the nationwide protests over police brutality, and we call on communities of color across the country to join our Black brothers and sisters in demanding justice and equity.

Black lives are worth fighting for.

But we cannot stop here. We pledge to:

Acknowledge the racist history of the environmental movement and work to create a Conservation Voters Movement that reflects the priorities of communities of color and centers the long-time environmental leadership of Black, Indigenous and people of color
Stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter advocates as they protest the murder of Black people at the hands of police and within our criminal justice system
Devote resources to identifying and rooting out anti-Blackness within our movement and within our communities
Commit to fighting for intersectional environmental justice, which includes acknowledging the racial, economic and social inequities that compound environmental injustices for people of color, particularly Black, Brown and Indigenous communities

Here are ways you can take action:

Donate to your local bail-out fund to ensure protesters defending the value of Black lives are released promptly
Educate yourself on how white supremacy has built systems that oppress and discriminate against Black people
Listen to your Black friends, family and colleagues as they share their experiences and reflect on how you can use your privilege to lift up their voices
Start conversations with your Latinx families on anti-Blackness and colorism
- An open letter from Latinx to our families
Join peaceful marches and vigils happening in your community, respecting the leadership of Black organizers and leaders
Demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Tony McDade and accountability from police departments and district attorneys in prosecuting their killers
Share your time, talent or resources with organizations on the frontlines
Speak up — don’t stay quiet during these pivotal moments
Know your rights — Demonstrations in DC –ACLU
Sign up — take action with these organizations:

Defending Our Community, Protecting The Land

This April, Arizona celebrated its first Public Lands Day, a day honoring the state’s sacred spaces, from the beauty of the Grand Canyon to the joy of our local parks. During a time when we are safer indoors, Chispa Arizona hosted a virtual celebration where community members shared their fondest memories in our parks across the state.

Chispa Arizona’s social media lit up with dozens of people from across Arizona sharing their park memories. It was a day packed with nostalgia. The first Public Lands Day was truly a reminder of the privilege we have in visiting the outdoors, and the deep respect and connection we’ve formed with these beautiful lands.

Among the many stories shared were those of Chispa Arizona’s leaders — a group of fierce organizers who have fought for the dignity and liberation of our communities for years. In the very same month Chispa Arizona honored the land we stand on, we are proud of the resilience of their families and their ongoing fight for the liberation of their community. The Chispa Arizona team took a pause to explore what the fight to protect the Arizona desert means.

And we’re not going to lie – there is something very cool about a group of multi-generational, brown people, whose skin is a target of multiple administrations, becoming leaders who protect the lands they are told they don’t belong to.

Here is what the Chispa Arizona leaders had to say about our public lands:

As an immigrant or child of immigrants, what does it mean for you to protect the public lands?

Gloria Montaño, Chispa Arizona Deputy Director: “I’m a daughter of immigrants, a daughter of the border, a fronteriza and I’m a rural girl. I was raised in the country. I think having the open space was something I took for granted. If I wanted to see trees I’d just open the door. And I believe my kids deserve to have the experiences I had.”

Chispa Arizona Deputy Director Gloria Montaño

Masavi Perea, Chispa Arizona Coalitions and Training Director: “Let me go back to when I immigrated from Chihuahua to Phoenix. That was in the 90s, when I was a construction worker, and, because of NAFTA, my salary was cut in half. I crossed the Arizona desert, and that was my first exposure to Arizona. Me acuerdo de todos los cactus. I walked for two days and three nights. I remember it was beautiful, but scary. I saw a lot of crosses and people who stayed behind. That was my first exposure to public lands in AZ. In my work now, I focus on environmental justice. I need to learn from communities that have been protecting the land way before us. And too often, indigenous communities are displaced from their land. So now wherever I go, I acknowledge the original caretakers of the land.”

Chispa Arizona Coalitions and Training Director Masavi Parea

What do the public lands mean to you?

Nicole Morales, Chispa Arizona Civic Engagement Director: “Sometimes you think of national parks, the big spaces, but we don’t get much time there. I grew up in the local parks, playing soccer. That’s my culture. As someone who complains about walking or exercise, I still coached an adult men’s soccer team. I’m familiar with the majority of the parks in West Phoenix. I go to the park to destress, eat some elote, and hang out. Parks are a gateway to fun, to family time. A place of peace where I clear my mind.”

Chispa Arizona Civic Engagement Director Nicole Morales

Dulce Juarez, Chispa Arizona Organizing Director: “I look at public lands from an indigenous perspective, and that means all public lands are sacred lands, sacred to the original people of those lands. We need to acknowledge that we are indigenous, and our existence, identity, and survival is connected to the lands we grew up on. Many elders have taught me that ‘the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth!’. Because we belong to the earth, we have a responsibility to take care of the earth, land and the community we are a part of. These public lands are for people to gather, to enjoy, celebrate, reconnect with nature, and ourselves.

It also means learning to live in harmony with nature and earth. It is our responsibility to take care of Mother Earth for the seven future generations. Because everything you do today is going to impact the future seven generations after you.”

Chispa Arizona Oraganizing Director Dulce Juarez

How does your identity as an immigrant connect to your identity in your environmental work, specifically the protection of sacred spaces?

Vianey Olivarria, Chispa Arizona Communications Director: “My family has always been in between - we are from a region between Mexico and the U.S. Before coming to Phoenix from Nogales, I would see the border cut across the beautiful green mountains. It is a scar on the land. As I started learning and understanding history, I learned to feel pride in my heritage and pride in the land. I crossed a border that has divided my family for generations. These lands are part of my history. As a border kid, I grew up hearing the stories of people losing their lives, animals in danger, and floods because the wall stops the water from moving naturally, and it feels so clear to me that the border wall is not supposed to be there. That’s why I fight now to protect these spaces, and stop that wall.”

Chispa Arizona Communications Director Vianey Olivarria

Laura Dent, Chispa Arizona Executive Director: “To me, it’s a divine connection, a righteous connection. There have been attempts to neutralize people’s claims of who is the steward of the water, of the land, and even who is an environmentalist. Some people think there is only one way to defend the earth and I think it’s bigger than that. It’s our culture, our connection to local parks and neighborhoods and communities too. I feel very grounded to our earth and lands, more than I have in the past because I recognized that everyone’s experience is different. And that is a good thing.”

Chispa Arizona Executive Director Laura Dent

What’s your favorite memory at a public land or local park?

Gloria: “Encanto park is my favorite because my parents took us there when we were little. They would load us up in a van and everybody would pool their money to rent a paddleboat. We would get Church’s fried chicken and make a picnic. It was like a treasure.”

Nicole: “I have so many! I love driving, sometimes what I like doing is driving to different parks and sceneries. The majority of our lands in Arizona are public lands. In 2019, our Chispa Arizona team took our members and promotoras camping at the Grand Canyon. I’ve been there a handful of times but I never had the opportunity to camp before. We had the opportunity to hear from indigenous leaders, and being able to have connections to the protectors of that land — it’s a beautiful experience. I will never forget the conversations we had. “

Dulce: “The first time I ever went to Sedona, AZ I remember feeling mesmerized by the beauty and spirituality of the living red rocks all around. It made me want to protect these lands so that we could have them forever and for my future children and grandchildren to enjoy. I felt so much peace, and inspiration from the magical lands I stood on.

Vianey: “When I was a sophomore in high school was the first time I went to Flagstaff, with my godmother and her family. I played the guitar back then, and I just felt so happy to be there. It felt like a break from trying to learn the language, figuring out high school, and all these systems we were trying to learn as a family. My godmother took us to this forest and I remember opening up to her about how angry I felt since we moved, how much everything had changed. I felt so much peace after that trip, of just being able to let go and be with nature. It really grounded me.”

Masavi: “Last year I was invited by Nuestra Tierra to camp on the border. It was in Coronado Park, between New Mexico, Arizona, and Mexico. We got to share what the border meant to us, and to many people there are happy memories, but I was undocumented for a long time — so to me, it means death, indifference, companies making money out of fear. Only an undocumented person can know what it feels like to see the migra, so there was some PTSD. But now, I fixed my immigration status, so now I have to work in healing the trauma and change the narrative of the border: it means communities, wildlife, indigenous land, natural resources.”

Laura: “There is this beautiful hill near my house I go on hikes often, Tumamoc Hill. I love going there all the time. It’s a workout but it’s also nice to have this space so close to me.”

When you think of the public lands and the immigration movement, what 5 words come to your mind?

Laura: Family. Community. Peace. Freedom. Happiness.

Vianey: Movement. Freedom. Belonging. Peace. Connection.

Masavi: Protect. Respect. Expose. Share. Acknowledge

Dulce: Migration. Open borders. Protection of creation. Responsibility.

Nicole: Home. Sanctuary. Community. Rights. Necessity.

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Crystal Vega, 14-year-old Chispa Arizona volunteer gives testimony at EPA hearing opposing rule on Particulate Matter standards

Today, Crystal Vega, a 14 year old volunteer with Chispa Arizona gave oral testimony over the phone during the EPA’s hearing on Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PM NAAQS).

Crystal spoke in opposition to the proposed rule from the EPA to retain the PM NAAQS urging the EPA to strengthen rather than retain the current standards to protect the health of her community, citing her lifetime struggle with asthma. The hearings are continuing May 21, May 22, and May 27.

Read Crystal’s full testimony below:

Crystal Vega, volunteer with Chispa Arizona:

Hello and thank you for the opportunity to provide comment in opposition to the proposed rule to retain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter.

My name is Crystal Vega, I’m 14 years old, and I’m a volunteer with Chispa Arizona, a Latinx organizing program from the League of Conservation Voters.

My mom and I have been volunteering at Chispa Arizona for four years now, my mom first started organizing other moms around asthma. I’ve struggled with asthma my entire life. It’s something I’ve had to deal with my entire life, as a kid it kept me from riding my bicycle for too long outside and now as a teenager, I struggle to keep up with sports

I’m from Phoenix, Arizona where there are millions of people living in low income communities that are impacted by unhealthy levels of pollution, just like mine. In my neighborhood alone, there are more concrete pathways than there are parks. I’m surrounded by industrial machines and big factories.

Yet, am a young person, and I want to hike, play sports and enjoy the outdoors, but when I do spend time outside, I can clearly see the pollution around me. As an asthmatic, I’m already at a greater risk because of my age; because of where I live and where I go to school. In Phoenix alone there are almost 100,00 children living with asthma, this makes me sad, I think of the little ones who are going through what I had to go through, late nights of respiratory therapies, early mornings of medication and inhaling exercises, but I hope that someday we can all breathe healthier and cleaner air.

Last year I had the opportunity to speak at the Youth Climate Strike in front of hundreds of other youth like me, I felt seen and heard, I felt hope because we were all in the same fight together, and that’s the hope I have again today, The Clean Air act requires that the federal government/EPA protect our health, but this proposal doesn’t do that. Instead the proposed rule ignores science while we are suffering from this pandemic. I hope that you listen, listen to the future generations, to people who look like me, people like my mom, people that have no choice of where they can live or not. Please, save our lives, and help us breathe cleaner air.