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 ongoing fight for democracy and wins for affordable clean energy.
Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok.
“Our ability to make progress on clean energy and climate change depends on a strong democracy that upholds the rule of law, protects our first amendment rights, and ensures free and fair elections.”
—LCV in response to the ongoing actions of the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security in Minnesota and across the country.
“The thing that we thought was not adequately addressed in the SPEED Act is exactly what we’re talking about: prospective discriminatory treatment. We’ve heard a lot about the weaponization of the permitting process, and the SPEED Act does not solve that.”
—Abigail Ross Hopper, outgoing President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, during the Environment and Public Works Committee’s hearing on certainty in permitting.
“This stay is an important step in the process to fight back against the Trump administration’s lawless attacks against our union jobs, grid security, and energy affordability.”
— Sen. Ed Markey (MA) on the federal ruling to allow offshore wind project Vineyard Wind to continue construction.
MARYLAND GOVERNOR INTRODUCES ENERGY AFFORDABILITY LEGISLATION: Governor Wes Moore has announced the Lower Bills and Local Power Act, which would mobilize $200 million in funds to address rising energy costs in the state by providing rebates to residents and upgrading infrastructure. Moore’s administration says the plan aims to provide direct relief for Maryland families struggling with high utility bills.
MD LCV TAKE: Maryland LCV Executive Director Kim Coble said, “We support Governor Moore’s initiative to address energy affordability, especially after the reduction of federal funds. financing shovel-ready solar plus storage projects, this legislation ensures utility accountability and prioritizes the most cost-effective, rapidly deployable energy sources making energy more affordable for all Marylanders.”
NEW MEXICO LAWMAKERS REINTRODUCE NET-ZERO BY 2050 LEGISLATION: New Mexico legislators are formally advancing the Clear Horizons Act in response to rising energy and household costs worsened by climate-driven disasters and reliance on fossil fuels. The bill seeks to codify Governor Lujan Grisham’s goal to reduce climate pollution 45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
CVNM TAKE: Conservation Voters of New Mexico Chief Executive Officer Demis Foster said, “The Trump Administration’s chaotic energy policies have forced higher costs on families and defunded programs that create jobs and revenue for our communities, including wind and solar manufacturing and installation. This is destabilizing our economy at a time when New Mexicans desperately need economic relief and revenues from the oil and gas industry are declining. We applaud Governor Lujan Grisham for adding the Clear Horizons Act to the call. The time has come to put the state’s commitments into law. It solidifies the path the state is already on to diversify our economy, invest in renewable energy industries, and create long-term solutions that reduce the cost of our energy bills. We urge the legislature to stand with working families by supporting this important legislation.”
ARIZONA LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE 11 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BILLS: This past week, Chispa Arizona joined state Senator Priya Sundareshan at the Arizona Capitol as she introduced 11 environmental justice bills. Together, these bills take meaningful steps toward cleaner air, cleaner water, and healthier communities across Arizona.
VINEYARD WIND MAY RESUME CONSTRUCTION: A federal judge has ruled Vineyard Wind, a nearly completed Massachusetts offshore wind project, can continue construction after being baselessly put on pause by the Trump administration. It is the fourth offshore wind project allowed to resume construction under a court-ordered injunction after the Trump administration blocked work on five East Coast projects in December. Once construction is fully finished, Vineyard Wind will generate enough clean energy to power 400,000 homes and will save customers an estimated $1.4 billion in energy costs.
OUR TAKE: LCV said, “BIG CLIMATE NEWS: Massachusetts’ Vineyard Wind, which will power 400,000 homes, has been given the go-ahead by a federal judge to resume construction after being unlawfully paused by Trump. This is the 4th offshore wind project to win in court against the Trump administration this month alone!”
TRUMP ARMY CORPS GUIDANCE STALLS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS: Even as electricity rates are increasing rapidly, the Trump administration is trying to freeze solar and wind development across the country by imposing new guidelines that will weigh projects based on their energy generation per acre, as well as whether they “denigrate the beauty of the Nation’s natural landscape.” The standards disproportionately favor fossil fuel projects. This adds to other administrative attacks on affordable clean energy, such as the Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s order requiring his personal sign-off on 68 previously straightforward consultations and process steps that staff routinely completed.
U.S. OFFICIALLY LEAVES PARIS AGREEMENT: Trump has forced the United States to exit the Paris Agreement, an international pact which aims to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius by nations setting targeted goals to cut their greenhouse gas emissions. This departure leaves the U.S. without a formal emissions-reduction plan, while impacts and costs from climate-driven weather events continue to intensify nationwide.
MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES OIL COMPANIES: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a lawsuit against major oil companies, arguing they conspired to limit competition by suppressing renewable energy development. Nessel seeks to hold these companies accountable for the rising utility costs burdening Michigan residents.
MILCV TAKE: Michigan LCV CEO and President Lisa Wozniak said, “We know the fossil fuel industry has the primary goal of maximizing profits, and that comes at the expense of Michiganders’ pocketbooks and health. Michiganders are feeling the impacts of skyrocketing energy costs and we should not have to struggle while fossil fuel companies rake in massive profits year after year. We applaud Attorney General Nessel for standing up to big polluters and working to rein in rising energy costs and hold corporate polluters accountable.”
NEW MEXICO ROLLS OUT NEW CLEAN FUEL PROGRAM: New Mexico became the first Southwest state and the fourth state nationwide to create a clean fuel market with its new Clean Transportation Fuel Program. The program will encourage the use of less carbon-intensive fuels for transportation, such as transitioning to clean electric vehicles, which will cut down on dangerous pollutants that contribute to climate change and harm the health of residents.
CVNM TAKE: In response to the 2024 passage of legislation committing to establish a clean transportation fuels program, former CVNM Climate & Energy Director Samantha Kao said, “We applaud the Senate for passing H.B. 41 and taking a meaningful step to fight air pollution and protect New Mexico communities. Clean fuels, like biodiesel, can be used to power the vehicles that many of us already own, which will result in a dramatic – and immediate – cut in the state’s climate emissions.”
TRUMP DHS ACTIONS THREATEN DEMOCRACY: LCV has released a statement in response to the ongoing actions of the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security in Minnesota and across the country.
OUR TAKE: From the statement, “Our ability to make progress on clean energy and climate change depends on a strong democracy that upholds the rule of law, protects our first amendment rights, and ensures free and fair elections. LCV has always condemned violence and we condemn the Trump administration and various agencies within the Department of Homeland Security’s escalation of a national campaign of terror against immigrant communities and Americans nationwide, only most recently in Minnesota, that has resulted in the tragic loss of lives and inflicted lasting trauma on families, workers, and entire communities. We see these actions as part of a coordinated and growing threat that seeks to undermine the rule of law and our democracy. We stand with efforts to stop these abuses, including Congressional Democrats using their leverage over the Department of Homeland Security funding and to hold officials, including Secretary Kristi Noem, accountable for their reckless and unlawful actions.”
HOUSE INTRODUCES VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL: House Republicans have introduced the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act, a bill that would roll back voting rights for millions of Americans by requiring voters to present a photo ID and proof of citizenship at the polls, as well as severely limiting access to mail-in voting.
OUR TAKE: LCV Democracy Program Director Justin Kwasa said, “Extreme MAGA Republicans are continuing to do everything they can to make it harder for people to vote in free and fair elections. The clearly partisan MEGA Act would be the biggest attack on the right to vote in our country’s history, far beyond the anti-voter SAVE Act proposed last year. The MEGA Act would imperil the fundamental rights of millions of voters across the country, roll back mail voting, cause legitimate voters’ ballots to be thrown out, and make voter registration harder for over a hundred million eligible voters. Every eligible voter, no matter their race, income, ability, or zip code, must be able to access their freedom to choose their own leaders. Congress must reject this and all Republican attempts to prevent free and fair elections.”
LCV CONGRATULATES TIERNAN SITTENFELD ON NEW POSITION: The National Parks Conservation Association has named Tiernan Sittenfeld, LCV’s senior vice president for Government Affairs, as its new president and chief executive officer. She has devoted more than two decades of her career to LCV where she has fought for public lands and pushed for bold action on climate change, as well as clean air and water. We are thrilled to announce that Sara Chieffo, LCV’s current vice president for Government Affairs, will be taking the reins as the new senior vice president.
OUR TAKE: LCV President Pete Maysmith said, “Congratulations to the National Parks Conservation Association and to Tiernan! Over the last twenty years, Tiernan built an amazing team, established LCV as the environmental powerhouse on Capitol Hill and with several administrations, and has been a wonderful colleague and mentor to countless staff within LCV and throughout our movement. I cannot thank her enough for her leadership and the vital work she’s done over the years. We are beyond excited that Sara Chieffo will be stepping up into the Senior Vice President role. For over sixteen years, Sara has been integral to making us the powerful organization we are. She is deeply respected throughout D.C. and throughout the movement. I am so excited to see her leadership expand in her new role overseeing our government affairs team.”
LCV ACTION FUND ENDORSES DANIEL BLISS FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: LCV Action Fund joined the NRDC Action Fund in endorsing Daniel Biss for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois’ 9th District.
OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Vice President of Political Affairs Craig Auster said, “Daniel Biss has a proven track record fighting for the people of Illinois and will continue fighting for communities, clean air and water, and our democracy when in Congress. The future of our climate and our rights are increasingly at stake every day under the Trump administration, and LCV Action Fund is all in to elect candidates like Daniel Biss who are committed to protecting our planet and the health and safety of people across the country.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned for exciting new content, coming soon to The Power Source Blog!
ON OUR SOCIALS: BREAKING NEWS: fossil fuels are less reliable than renewables during extreme weather events and climate change actually does exist 😮. As we grapple with these realities (that are shocking to no one but Trump), energy prices are continuing to rise, but Senate Democrats are pushing back with facts, science, and common sense.
TODAY: Partial government shutdown funding deadline.
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9: SAVE Act Senate hearing.
FEBRUARY 14: Valentine’s Day.
FEBRUARY 16: President’s Day.
FEBRUARY 17: Lunar New Year.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters