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 the Trump administration’s cuts to community solar and holding congressional Republicans and Big Polluters accountable.
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“The cheapest and fastest supply to help people address spiking utility bills is wind, solar and batteries. By ripping that away, which is exactly what Administrator Zeldin is working to do, it will jack prices up for everybody in this country – for big businesses, small businesses, and families.”
— LCV President Pete Maysmith on attacks on clean energy and the environment from the Trump administration.
“Donald Trump swore up and down he would lower Americans’ energy costs, and here he is, yet again betraying his promise and working to raise working people’s electric bills.”
— Senator Patty Murray (WA) on the Trump administration’s proposed termination of Solar for All grants.
“At a time when the federal government is dismantling the EPA and gutting scientific research by devastating cuts, it’s never been more important for states to protect their residents from threats to their health and to their environments.”
— New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin on the record settlement holding polluters accountable for PFAS contamination.
NEW JERSEY REACHES RECORD PFAS SETTLEMENT: New Jersey reached a record settlement agreement of $2 billion with several major polluters holding them accountable for decades of PFAS contamination and damage to public health and the environment. These companies will be responsible for all cleanup costs, ensuring taxpayers will not foot the bill.
NEW YORK IS FIRST STATE TO ENACT ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDING STANDARD: New York finalized and officially adopted regulations requiring most new buildings to be all-electric. The new building standard was mandated by the 2023 All-Electric Buildings Act and requires new residential buildings up to seven stories tall and new commercial or industrial buildings up to 100,000 square feet to be all electric.
GREEN GROUPS SUPPORT MAJOR CLIMATE CAMPAIGN DURING AUGUST RECESS: During the August recess work period in Congress, organizations including LCV, Climate Power, House Majority Forward, Climate Emergency Advocates, EDF Action, the NRDC Action Fund, and Climate Action Campaign are launching a campaign to hold House Republicans accountable for their support of the Big Ugly Bill. The comprehensive campaign includes paid media, grassroots organizing, in-person events, digital activations, direct mail, and more.
OUR TAKE: LCV President Pete Maysmith said, “The Congressional Republicans who voted for the Big Ugly Bill broke their promises and are increasing costs on everyone. Their constituents deserve to know why their utility bills are going up, which is why we are partnering with our state LCV affiliates to educate people about what the passage of the Big Ugly Bill means for their costs– from utilities, to healthcare, to groceries. At a time when costs are already high, we should be turning to affordable energy sources, like clean energy. Trump and Congressional Republicans must be held accountable and stop increasing our costs.”
EPA WILL CANCEL BILLIONS IN FUNDING FOR SOLAR PROJECTS: EPA moved to cancel $7 billion in funding under the Solar for All grant program, which funds clean energy projects for low and moderate income households across the nation. Projects funded by the Solar for All program provide vital support that allows communities to meet energy demand and reduce energy costs.
OUR TAKE: LCV Legislative Director David Shadburn said, “The Trump administration gutting critical funding for community solar projects is all about giving away even more profits to Big Polluters by cutting clean energy jobs and raising energy costs on families who cannot afford it. Solar for All clean energy projects are meant to help communities who need it the most, including communities with low wealth and communities of color who already experience the worst impacts of the climate crisis and environmental injustice. Clean energy is the fastest and cheapest way to bring new energy online and help reduce energy costs for working families. At a time of increased energy demand, the Trump administration should be incentivizing clean energy deployment, not putting Big Polluters over people.”
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “We cannot afford this. Crushing community solar programs harms our comunidades, who will lose access to affordable energy and face higher costs as temperatures continue to rise. The Trump administration is determined to make costs go up for our families, take away good-paying clean energy jobs, and harm the health and safety of our environment, especially in communities disproportionately on the frontlines of the climate crisis and pollution. Our leaders must demand that this funding is released immediately to the communities it was already obligated to — we know this fight continues and will keep fighting for all communities to have cleaner air, cleaner water, and a healthier planet for our current and future generations.”
TEXAS LAWMAKERS FIGHT BACK AGAINST GERRYMANDERING EFFORTS: Democratic state lawmakers in Texas are fighting back against President Trump’s demands for Republican lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map by blocking a vote in the legislature. The proposed legislation would further gerrymander Texas districts in favor of Republican lawmakers, further disenfranchising voters across the state. To block the vote, over 50 Democratic state lawmakers left the state to break the quorum necessary for a vote to proceed.
JUDGE BLOCKS ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ CONSTRUCTION: A judge temporarily blocked further construction of Alligator Alcatraz in Florida. The facility was built next to the Everglades National Park and within the Big Cypress National Preserve, raising significant environmental concerns over the harm construction will have on a vital ecosystem.
ON THE BLOG: As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we must also acknowledge that the rights it guarantees are under attack. Learn more about how Congressional Republicans’ so- called SAVE Act would limit access to the ballot box.
ON OUR SOCIALS: The Trump administration hit us with the one-two punch over these last couple of weeks, first announcing their proposal to unravel the landmark endangerment finding and now declaring their intention to rescind funding for the critically important Solar for All program. But we’re not giving up this fight, and are continuing to work to protect our climate and democracy with everything we’ve got.
AUGUST 12: Poll Worker Recruitment Day.
AUGUST 16: Oppose the Trump Takeover in Texas National Day of Action.
SEPTEMBER 1: Labor Day.
SEPTEMBER 6: Chispa Texas Organizing Summit in Corpus Christi, Texas.
SEPTEMBER 30: Government Funding Deadline.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters