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, states continue to make clean energy progress and fight back against the Trump administration’s chaos that is wrecking havoc in people’s lives across the country.
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“Amid the chaos of a Trump presidency, the Constitution must be our bedrock.”
— Representative Rosa DeLauro, House Appropriations Committee ranking member, in a New York Times Op-ed about the Trump administration’s flagrant power grab and disregard for our Constitution.
“Black labor organizers, thank goodness for them, because they are motivated. They are out there. They are organizing. They’re filing lawsuits. They are educating people about what is happening.”
— Danielle Phillips-Cunningham, professor in the department of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, on the work being done by Black labor advocates in response to the Trump administration rolling back protections for workers’ rights and workers of color.
“Crossing 1.4C is a failure. Crossing 1.6 is a failure. And every increment thereafter, considering what we knew 30 years ago about the dangers of continued fossil fuel emissions.”
— Kim Cobb, director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, in response to two new studies projecting that we will likely exceed the 1.5-degree goal set forth in the Paris Agreement.
PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FEDERAL FUNDING CHAOS: Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the administration’s cuts to federal funding.
CVPA TAKE: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Molly Parzen said, “Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania stands in strong support of Governor Shapiro’s decision to sue President Trump for illegally cutting off congressionally approved federal funds intended to lower costs for working families while creating union jobs and protecting our environment.
Governor Shapiro is standing up for Pennsylvania families, workers, and our environment over the interests of Donald Trump’s billionaire friends in the oil and gas industry he plans to enrich with massive tax breaks. The federal funds Governor Shapiro is fighting for will improve public safety and protect our drinking water by capping abandoned oil and gas wells and remediating abandoned mines. He is also fighting to ensure Pennsylvania families receive millions of dollars from federal programs that will lower energy costs for working families and Pennsylvania businesses by boosting clean energy and energy efficiency.
We cannot afford to give in to the radical Trump agenda at the expense of our environment, our workers or our economy. Governor Shapiro’s leadership today sent President Trump a stern warning: Cut Pennsylvania off from federal funds, and we will see you in court.”
SHAPIRO TAKE: Governor Josh Shapiro said, “The federal government has entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, promising to provide billions of dollars in Congressionally-approved funding that we have committed to serious needs – like protecting public health, cutting energy costs, providing safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities. With this funding freeze, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract – and it’s my job as Governor to protect Pennsylvania’s interests. Over the past two weeks, my team and I have engaged with our Congressional delegation to try to restore access to all the federal funding Pennsylvania has been promised under law – but despite those efforts, state agencies remain unable to draw down these critical dollars. While multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding, access has not been restored, leaving my Administration with no choice but to pursue legal action to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents.”
ILLINOIS’ LARGEST UTILITY INVESTS $100M IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRANSITION: ComEd, the largest electric utility in Illinois, announced a $100 million investment in incentives to boost electric vehicle sales and build out charging infrastructure in northern Illinois. This builds on a previous $87 million investment from the utility in similar incentives and will help Illinois reach its goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, as outlined in the state’s landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. More than half of the funds from ComEd will go towards low-income customers and projects in environmental justice communities.
NEW YORK INVESTS IN CLEAN ENERGY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $150 million climate resiliency investment awarded to the state’s public university systems, the State University of New York and the City University of New York, to help electrify their campuses, improve energy efficiency, and reduce climate pollution in New York.
130 MAYORS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS CALL ON CONGRESS TO PROTECT DIRECT PAY CLEAN ENERGY TAX INCENTIVES: Mayors and local officials from 39 states and DC sent a letter to members of Congress, urging them to preserve the direct pay clean energy tax credits that provide cost savings to communities across the country.
FROM THE LETTER: In the letter, mayors and local officials said, “The consequences of this repeal would raise energy costs by $489 a year for families, result in up to 97,000 net fewer American jobs, hurt private sector investments, slow economic growth, and make the U.S. less globally competitive.”
CHISPA ARIZONA TAKES ACTION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT THE STATE CAPITOL: Community members and youth leaders showed up at the Arizona Capitol for Environmental Day, meeting with legislators to advocate for bold climate policies like SB 1389 (Arizona’s Path to 50% Renewable Energy by 2035) and HB 2367 (Protecting our Communities from Corporate Polluters).
CHISPA TEXAS COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAK OUT FOR CLEAN WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Community members took action by attending the Texas Tribune’s chat with Senator Charles Perry, delivering powerful public comments at the Texas Water Development Board meeting, and meeting with state representatives to push for clean water and environmental justice.
TRUMP’S CHAOS IS HURTING COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE: President Trump’s sweeping cuts of federal programs continue to create chaos and harm communities across the country. Here is a selection of stories from across the country:
ALABAMANS FACE HIGHER ELECTRIC BILLS: This week, in Alabama, 250 utility customers received notice that they would be charged $100 on their electric bills after the Trump administration revoked a grant that was providing them assistance with their energy costs.
NEVADA’S EV INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY SOLAR AT STAKE: Our state affiliate Nevada Conservation League (NCL) created a list of entities – ranging from nonprofits to small businesses to state and local governments – that depend on federal funding that the Trump administration is cutting. From NCL’s list, the Nevada Independent dug into the impacts that the cuts will have on the state’s efforts to build electric vehicle charging stations along Nevada’s highways, where drivers often go hundreds of miles between stations, and on residential and community solar programs that help people reduce their energy bills.
FARMERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY LEFT TO FOOT THE BILL: From Minnesota to Maryland, Trump has left farmers across the country in limbo as the administration refuses to honor their contracts that would reimburse the farmers for conservation and other improvements on their land.
FORD CEO WARNS THAT IRA REPEALS COULD RESULT IN LAYOFFS: Ford CEO Jim Farley warned that repealing important electric vehicle incentives, like the electric vehicle purchases and battery production tax credits, would put billions in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs at risk, especially in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee, where Ford plans to open battery production and assembly plants.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS PROPOSE BUDGET RESOLUTION: House Republicans released text for their FY 2025 budget resolution (aka their plan to give new tax cuts to billionaires at working families’ expense) directing committees to dramatically cut spending and add tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest people and corporations. The House completed its markup on the resolution on Thursday.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “House Republicans are showing once again that they are only looking out for their Big Oil and Big Polluter allies by extending tax cuts for the wealthiest, while proposing cutting the clean energy investments that are already creating jobs, lowering costs and making the U.S. a world leader in this growing sector of the global economy. These clean energy investments are benefitting both red and blue districts across our country – passing this resolution would set us on a path to increasing costs for hardworking families, halting the boom in manufacturing and jobs, and putting our health and safety at risk. Instead of fighting among themselves over how extreme their cuts to the social safety net should be, Republicans should be holding President Trump and Elon Musk accountable for illegally stealing funds meant to help working families and passing a bipartisan budget that keeps energy costs low for families and protects our environment.”
PARK SERVICE REMOVES ‘TRANSGENDER’ FROM STONEWALL WEBSITE: The National Park Service has removed the word “transgender” from the website about the history of the Stonewall Inn National Monument, which commemorates the Stonewall Riot of 1969. The website now uses the acronym “LGB” in place of LGBTQ+, erasing representation of the transgender and queer communities, despite the Stonewall Riots being led by Marsha P. Johnson, a trangender woman. The erasure of trans visibility on the Stonewall website is in response to the cruel, unwarranted anti-DEI, anti-trans push seen from the Trump administration over the last month.
SENATE CONFIRMS RFK JR. TO HEAD HHS: On Thursday, the Senate confirmed anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
SENATE CONFIRMS BROOKE ROLLINS AS AGRICULTURE SECRETARY: The Senate confirmed Brooke Rollins, who has repeatedly denied the existence of climate change, to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
OUR TAKE: LCV Healthy Communities Director Madeleine Foote said, “Across the nation, farmers and ranchers are already facing the devastating impacts of climate change as droughts, floods, heat waves, and storms jeopardize their livelihoods. Yet during her confirmation process, Brooke Rollins repeatedly denied the climate crisis and refused to acknowledge the science behind climate change, demonstrating that she is unqualified and unfit to lead the USDA. Farmers deserve someone at the helm of USDA that acknowledges the realities of the climate crisis and will work to help them be part of the climate solution. The Trump administration is already hurting farmers by cutting programs they rely on to feed our communities, and the Senate’s decision to confirm Rollins to lead USDA is just another strike against them. We urge Mrs. Rollins to prioritize the needs of our farmers in her new role to ensure they can continue to feed our families and serve as stewards of the land, now and for generations to come.”
KASH PATEL ADVANCES TO SENATE FLOOR VOTE: President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Intelligence Kash Patel has advanced out of the Senate panel vote and will head to a confirmation vote on the floor, likely next week. Ahead of the confirmation hearing, LCV sent a letter to the Senate urging them to oppose Patel’s nomination.
OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski said, “The fact that Patel has no experience in a senior law enforcement role raises serious questions about whether he is capable of keeping the people safe as FBI Director. The experience he does have raises even graver concerns. He pushed the false narrative regarding the results of the 2020 election even as an appointee at the critically nonpolitical Department of Defense, and has been known to promote other false conspiracies. He has reportedly raised money for convicted insurrectionists and assembled an enemies list to persecute. His confirmation would imperil First Amendment freedom of the press, as he has a record of frivolous lawsuits against journalists and has said publicly that he wants to ‘come after the people in the media…criminally or civilly’ for accurately reporting on the 2020 election. ”
SENATOR TINA SMITH ANNOUNCES SHE WILL NOT RUN FOR REELECTION: Minnesota Senator Tina Smith announced on Thursday that she will not be running for re-election in the upcoming cycle.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “We are forever grateful to Senator Tina Smith for always fighting with ferocity and kindness for our climate, our communities, and future generations. She is a champion for our lands and waters and was instrumental in passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment ever to advance the clean energy economy, create jobs, and lower costs for families. Senator Smith is a tireless leader for all that is right, and we look forward to continuing our work together to defend recent progress and bedrock laws and institutions over the next two years.”
CM TAKE: Conservation Minnesota Executive Director Paul Austin said, “Since her days as the Lt. Governor and throughout her time as Senator, Tina Smith has been championing our air, water, and Great Outdoors. While the first instinct of many in Washington is to look for a camera or microphone, Senator Smith’s first instinct is to write a plan of action and look for partners. This quality has made her incredibly effective.”
ON THE BLOG: Feeling confused by the way Trump and his cronies are talking about energy policy? Yeah, us too. Check out our guide to decoding the language the Trump administration and its allies in Congress are using to distract and confuse us from their real intentions– amping up fossil fuel production and lining Big Polluters’ pockets at the expense of families and the environment.
ON OUR SOCIALS: “You’re so funny,” thanks, the Trump administration is trying to erase the existence of trans people. Republicans want to disqualify millions of Americans from being able to vote, and people’s energy bills are increasing to pay for tax cuts for billionaires… so you could say things are going really well.
FEBRUARY: Black History Month.
FEBRUARY 17: Presidents’ Day.
FEBRUARY 28: Ramadan begins at sunset.
MARCH 14: Government funding runs out.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters