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, Twitter, and Instagram.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“Judicial decisions aren’t just words on a page, they can impact whether people have access to clean air or clean water, and whether or not you can vote. We must continue to confirm qualified nominees to the courts that understand that their decisions are connected to real people.”

— Senator Amy Klobuchar tweeted on why judicial nominations are important to protecting our environment and democracy.

“If Indigenous Peoples do not maintain or secure ownership of our land nor have equal authority in the decision-making process, the UN’s 30×30 policy may be the biggest land grab in history and further threaten the physical and cultural survival of Indigenous Peoples worldwide.”

–Sign-on letter released on the eve of UN Biodiversity Conference by Indigenous people world-wide urging decision-makers to protect Indigenous People, not just their ancestral lands.

“While we must show up in full force to combat racism, anti-Blackness, xenophobia, and general bigotry, antisemitism is usually the last thing to get recognition, if at all. It’s definitely an energy drain to be organizing around climate work while recognizing there are celebrities and politicians that would like to see my people exterminated. If anything, this strengthens my resolve to organize from an intersectional lens. Whether that’s demanding reparations for Black folks descended from enslaved people or supporting Indigenous sovereignty and Land Back, our fights are interconnected.”

— Lindsay Meiman, a climate communicator serving as media director for Stand.earth, speaking about antisemitism in the climate movement and about how one of the mechanisms of antisemitism is to divide movements.

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THE HILL’S TOP LOBBYISTS OF 2022: Congrats to LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld and Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo for being named toThe Hill’s annual list of top lobbyists again this year! View the full list here.

CONGRATULATIONS SENATOR RAPHAEL WARNOCK!: LCV Victory Fund and affiliated entities invested close to $4 million in the Georgia Senate runoff and general election to defeat Herschel Walker and reelect Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock. Walker’s loss marks LCVVF’s 10th Dirty Dozen defeat this year. Senator Warnock regularly talked about climate, clean energy, and the Inflation Reduction Act on the campaign trail, and climate voters, who LCVVF’s field program and digital ads targeted, showed up at the polls to make their voices heard.

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski said, “Thank you Georgia voters! We’re thrilled to continue working with proven climate and environmental justice champion Senator Warnock to deliver good paying jobs and a healthier future for Georgia families. Warnock’s victory solidifies a strong pro-environment majority in the U.S. Senate and sets up the incoming Senate to do the important work of governing – including quickly approving qualified judicial and executive branch nominees.”

THE STATE OF DEMOCRACY: THE 2022 MIDTERMS AND BEYOND: To help the public better understand recent attacks on our democracy and how they affect the stakes for the air we breathe, the water we drink, and our right to a livable planet, LCV asked members of Congress to answer questions about what they are doing to make sure we maintain and protect a strong, robust democracy for all. Read their answers on how the recent midterm elections, federal legislative battles, SCOTUS cases, and judicial nominations will affect our democracy here.

ICYMI: WE RALLIED AT SCOTUS TO DEFEND OUR DEMOCRACY AS MOORE V. HARPER ORAL ARGUMENTS BEGAN: LCV and the North Carolina LCV joined a rally and press conference in front of the Supreme Court during Wednesday’s oral arguments in Moore v. Harper. See full remarks from leading organizations Common Cause, the National Redistricting Foundation (NRF) and others here.  

OUR TAKE: Watch a video of LCV Advocacy Director for Judiciary and Democracy Doug Lindner speaking here, saying “This is about the future. Not just the future of our democracy, but the future of everything it protects. It’s about the right to breathe clean air and drink clean water…To pass on a livable, sustainable world to our children and grandchildren and every generation to come. All this, we can do, but only if we protect the power of the people from manipulation by fringe partisans who would distort our maps, suppress our votes, subvert our elections, marginalize vulnerable communities, and rule for the few instead of the many.”

NC LCV TAKE: Director of Governmental Affairs for NCLCV Dan Crawford said, “We believe every voter has the right to cast a ballot for the environment in free and fair elections and have their voice heard. That’s why we filed our lawsuit in November 2021 challenging the legislature’s gerrymandered districts. Fortunately, checks and balances prevailed: The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the legislature had violated our state constitution and that the gerrymanders must be replaced. Moore v. Harper is about reaffirming a fundamental principle—that constitutional checks and balances apply to state legislatures and federal-election laws. Winning this case is vital to ensuring free and fair elections, which is ultimately how lawmakers are held accountable and how our organization stands up for clean air and water for the people of North Carolina.” 

HISTORIC CALIFORNIA OFFSHORE WIND LEASE SALES: On Wednesday, California made history with $757 million in offshore wind lease sales off its coast, marking the first-ever of its kind off of the West Coast. 

OUR TAKE: LCV Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “Today’s historic California offshore wind lease sales are a massive win for people and the planet – it’s more clear than ever that our future is in clean, renewable energy. Thanks to President Biden and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Californians can look forward to thousands of new, good paying union jobs and lower energy costs in the years to come. We especially appreciate the administration’s thoughtful stakeholder engagement and environmental review processes to ensure any potentially impacted communities are part of their decision making.”

CA ENVIRO VOTERS TAKE: California Environmental Voters Political and Organizing Director Mike Young said, “California is making historic strides toward ending our dependence on fossil fuels and towards the necessary pathway to carbon neutrality. Today’s offshore wind lease sales are a testament that hardworking people in the construction trades are an essential part of achieving our goal of 100% clean energy by 2045. This effort will complement the state’s solar energy resources, providing clean energy even after the sun goes down and bringing us closer to a clean energy future.”

FACING OPPOSITION FROM LCV AND OTHERS, THE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE NDAA: LCV President Gene Karpinski joined a letter to President Biden and Congress in opposition to attaching the Energy Independence and Security Act to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The following day, the released text did not include the Energy Independence and Security Act, marking a big win for the environmental justice community.

OUR TAKE: Leaders of environmental and environmental justice organizations, representing millions of members and supporters from across the country, said, “This deal prioritizes the interests of the fossil fuel industry at the expense of the environment and health of frontline communities, which are disproportionately Black, Indigenous, communities of color and low-wealth communities – a move that is not in line with President Biden’s commitments to climate and environmental justice. Congress should be advancing efforts that ensure robust public engagement early in project development and strengthen the requirements for agencies to evaluate cumulative health and climate impacts. Our opposition includes recommending that House members vote against any rule that advances any version of the Energy Independence and Security Act.”

CONFIRMING LAURA DANIEL-DAVIS: This week, over 100 women who know Laura Daniel-Davis personally, including LCV’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld, Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo, and Federal Advocacy Campaigns Director Leah Donahey, signed on to a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring her nomination to serve as the assistant secretary of land and minerals management at the U.S. Department of the Interior to the floor for a final confirmation vote before Congress adjourns for the year.

LETTER TAKE: The letter reads, “The women who have signed this letter in their personal capacity know Laura Daniel-Davis—as a friend, a colleague, a mentor, and a leader. We have observed her leadership in action and we know she gets results. Laura’s knowledgeable, inclusive, and confident approach to challenging issues is admirable and demonstrates the importance of having women in high-level leadership positions. Laura is thoughtful, smart, strategic, collaborative, and determined. She sets a fine example that inspires and motivates herteam to work harder. Her policy acumen is unmatched, and she has a delightful sense of humor that helps remind those around her why this work matters. Given the opportunity, any one of us would be honored to work with Laura again.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

2022 YEAR IN REVIEW – STATE PROGRESS PREPARES NATION FOR MAJOR CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION: In our latest annual Clean Energy For All report, we detail how 30 states made clean energy progress in 2022 led by our state affiliates in the Conservation Voters Movement (CVM). States continued to enact ambitious policies that are driving the U.S. transition to clean energy, and the exciting policies, goals, and protections laid out in this year’s report show that states are seizing this critical moment. In fact, 40% of people in the U.S. now live in a place that is committed to 100% clean energy. Coupled with historic progress that federal leaders secured by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, states are poised to propel climate action further in the years ahead. From promoting offshore wind and increasing solar access, to cutting air pollution and advancing a just transition from coal, to holding utilities accountable and securing unprecedented investments in climate action, this report highlights the bold and necessary steps states took in 2022 to build a clean energy future for everyone.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of State Policy and Advocacy Bill Holland said, “2022 was, without a doubt, the most important year for climate action in U.S. history. Next year, our elected leaders across the country will face the crucial test to not only successfully implement clean energy and transportation funding but continue to pass the necessary laws and protections that will build on this success and ensure communities most impacted by climate pollution share in a cleaner, healthier future.”

COMING UP:

DECEMBER 15: White House Rally to Stop Willow Oil Drilling project: Register to join here.

What: Rally to call on President Biden to reject the proposed Willow Oil Drilling project (learn more at www.StopWillow.org)

When: Thursday, December 15 at 12:30 pm ET 

Where: Lafayette Square, Pennsylvania Ave NW & 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Contact: Email Ashley@alaskawild.org

DECEMBER 16: Government funding deadline