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Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. This week, we’re covering high temperatures, high costs, and the legislators fighting back for our communities.
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“We deserve to have a city where we’re not choosing between paying rent and paying utilities.”
— Vianey Olivarría, executive director of Chispa Arizona, on Arizona’s local utility attempting to raise energy rates amid record-breaking heat.
“If we’re exceeding records from the Dust Bowl, that says that we’re in deep trouble.”
— Jeff Masters, meteorologist at Yale Climate Connections, on last month’s record-breaking heat.
“Green energy projects are literally waiting to bring down your energy costs. But outdated rules and Republican attacks are preventing them from being rapidly deployed.”
— Sen. Martin Heinrich (NM) on how the Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ attacks on clean energy projects are driving up costs.
PENNSYLVANIANS CALL ON SENATE TO TAKE ACTION ON DATA CENTERS, OUT-OF-CONTROL ENERGY COSTS: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and Action Together NEPA hosted a press conference calling on state Senate Republicans to pass legislation regulating data centers to help protect residents from outrageously high energy prices and protect natural resources. The Democrat-controlled Pennsylvania House has already passed over 20 bills addressing data centers that now require approval from the Republican-controlled Senate in order to become law.
CVPA TAKE: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Federal Campaign Coordinator Hanna Felber said, “The House has done its job, and these bills will lower costs. But now it’s time for the Senate to take action.”
CVPA TAKE 2: In response to the state budget, which passed last month without including major proposed data center reforms, Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Molly Parzen said, “While Democrats in the state House of Representatives worked tirelessly to advance legislation to expand access to cheaper clean energy and lower skyrocketing utility bills throughout the 2025-2026 legislative session, Senate Republicans refused to advance any serious energy policies.
“House Democrats also passed a comprehensive package specifically designed to limit the impact of data centers on our environment, our local communities and our wallets. Yet Senate Republicans chose to leave ordinary Pennsylvanians on the hook while Big Tech companies, oil and gas billionaires and greedy utilities continue to rake in record profits.”
NORTH CAROLINA ACTIVISTS, STATE LEADERS PUSH BACK ON DUKE ENERGY’S REQUESTED RATE HIKE: Despite making $5 billion in profits last year, Duke Energy requested to raise electricity rates in North Carolina by 18% over the next two years. Due to public backlash, the utility agreed to request a lower rate increase of 3.4% each year for the next two years, which is now under consideration by state regulators. Advocates, including North Carolina LCV, are fighting the rate hike, arguing that the new proposed increase is still too high for families struggling with the cost of living. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson have also opposed the rate hike.
NCLCV TAKE: North Carolina LCV Senior Director of Public Affairs Dan Crawford said, “While North Carolinians are choosing between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on, Duke Energy just announced their profits for quarter two: $1.077 billion in profits, versus $971 million in profits during the same period last year. This is what happens when Republican lawmakers and the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) fail to adequately regulate a greedy, out-of-control monopoly: stockholders get rich, while we pay the price. Thousands of folks across the state are calling on lawmakers and the NCUC to rein in Duke’s greed and protect ratepayers. If they fail, voters will hold lawmakers accountable at the ballot box this fall.
“We continue to support the efforts of Governor Josh Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson to lower Duke Energy’s unreasonable rate hike requests. We need more leaders like these putting people over profits.”
JULY SET NEW RECORDS FOR BOTH HEAT AND ENERGY BILLS: Last month was the hottest month ever recorded in the contiguous U.S., breaking the previous record set during the Dust Bowl in 1936. July also brought record-breaking energy prices, with average energy bills clocking in at an all-time-high of $217. And, as our communities suffer under sweltering temperatures, utility companies are raking in enormous profits at all of our expense.
OUR TAKE: On Bluesky, LCV said, “July was the hottest month ever recorded in the U.S. Meanwhile, Trump and Congressional Republicans are giving massive handouts to Big Oil and data centers and blocking clean energy. You’re paying more for cooling, energy, insurance, and healthcare while they get richer.”
DOE CANCELS ELECTRIC CORRIDORS: Trump’s Department of Energy announced the cancellation of three proposed national interest electric transmission corridors. The projects would have helped strengthen our outdated electric grid and lower energy costs across the country.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said,“The Trump administration is trying to drive up electricity costs yet again. Building long-distance transmission lines is one of the best ways to lower costs and secure and upgrade our grid — and strengthening our grid is wildly popular, too. Pulling the plug on these long-planned transmission corridors will pull the rug out from under billions of dollars in investments and tens of thousands of jobs for hardworking families. We will continue to fight back against actions like this that hurt consumers and boost the profits of fossil fuel CEOs.”
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CANCELS ADDITIONAL OFFSHORE WIND LEASES: The Trump administration paid RWE, a German energy company, $1.22 billion of taxpayer money to abandon its offshore wind leases off the coasts of California, Louisiana, and New York. This is the fifth payout the administration has offered energy companies to cancel offshore wind projects. At a time when energy prices are already out of control, the Trump administration’s attacks on offshore wind are driving prices even higher by lowering our capacity to add clean, affordable energy to the grid.
OUR TAKE: On Bluesky, LCV said, “The Trump administration is paying German energy company RWE $1.22 billion to cancel its offshore wind projects off of California, Louisiana, and New York. Trump has now paid companies almost $4 BILLION in taxpayer dollars to kill offshore wind. Absolutely no one but Big Oil benefits from this.”
LCV ACTION FUND ENDORSED CANDIDATES WIN PRIMARY ELECTIONS NATIONWIDE: LCV Action Fund endorsed candidates Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jake Johnson (MN-01), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Becca Balint (VT-AL), and Rebecca Cooke (WI-03) won their respective primary elections on Tuesday night. See a full list of LCV Action Fund endorsed candidates.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “Congratulations to these candidates who are committed to addressing the climate crisis and protecting free and fair elections. July was the hottest ever recorded in the United States and people across the country were hit with their highest energy bills ever. People cannot continue to afford the costs to their health and their wallets while Big Polluters are seeing record profits from Trump’s manufactured energy crisis. It’s time to flip the House and elect candidates who will fight for people and future generations.”
TODD BLANCHE SWORN IN AS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Late Friday night, Senate Republicans voted to confirm Trump’s personal lawyer Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General, and he was sworn into office on Monday afternoon. Appointing Blanche to lead DOJ will have far-reaching consequences on the agency’s independence and the future of democracy in this country.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “The Senate should have never considered Trump’s personal lawyer to lead the Justice Department. The Senate should be confirming an attorney general who serves the people, not as Trump’s personal lawyer. His record at the Justice Department has made it clear that he will only continue to do Trump’s bidding and weaponize the Department of Justice to advance Trump’s corruption and undermine our rights.
“With Trump calling the shots, the Justice Department will only continue to weaponize law enforcement, undermine our freedom, and roll back protections for our communities and future generations.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned for exciting new content, coming soon to The Power Source Blog!
ON OUR SOCIALS: Guys, this is not what I was talking about when I said I wanted a hot girl summer. Trump and his allies’ actions this week have been decidedly not hot, including cancelling more offshore wind, further raising our energy costs (broke girl summer 😞), and trying to make it even harder to vote. BUT, you know what is super hot? Being a poll worker.
AUGUST 22: First day of National Parks Week.
AUGUST 29: Comment period closes on EPA’s proposal to roll back emissions standards for heavy duty vehicles.
SEPTEMBER 15: National Voter Registration Day.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters