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 nation’s inaugural statewide data center moratorium in New York, attacks against national monuments, and community-led climate action events in the states.
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“As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead.”
— New York Governor Kathy Hochul on the importance of enacting the nation’s first statewide data center moratorium.
“I’m his lawyer.”
— Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on his personal relationship with Trump during his hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Climate change and extreme weather events can hit any community. This is a red state issue just as much as it is a blue state issue; We need bipartisan solutions and action—and we need it now.”
— Senator Peter Welch (VT) on extreme weather and the need for bipartisan solutions for climate change and disaster aid.
NEW YORK GOVERNOR ENACTS FIRST STATEWIDE DATA CENTER MORATORIUM: Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order launching the country’s first statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers. This temporary pause of environmental permits will allow the state to create a stronger regulatory framework for data centers, safeguarding the environment from degradation and ratepayers from rate increases.
NYLCV TAKE: New York LCV President Julie Tighe said, “Data centers require a lot of natural resources and have the potential to harm local communities. Local air quality water resources and environmental justice communities deserve protection. That’s what this Executive Order is about. We can grow New York’s economy and still protect our air, our water, our communities. This is an opportunity to strengthen our clean energy future. New data centers should hyperscale investments in new renewable energy, transmission, and storage. They should be adding clean energy to the grid, not competing for the limited resources that we already have. New York has always shown that economic growth and environmental leadership go hand in hand, and this Executive Order keeps us moving in that direction.”
VIRGINIA ANNOUNCES NEW SOLAR ENERGY AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVE: Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the Switch Together initiative to make clean, solar energy more accessible and protect Virginians from energy rate increases. The initiative uses a reverse auction system to ensure competitive prices for solar installations, and provides discounts and incentives for solar battery storage systems to make solar arrays more affordable for households and businesses.
VIRGINIANS PROTEST UNCHECKED DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT: Around 200 people protested rising electricity bills, pollution, and unchecked data centers at Richmond’s “Enough is Enough” rally, which was organized by a coalition of organizations in the community, including Virginia League of Conservation Voters.
CONNECTICUT LAW TO MAKE RENEWABLE ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE: Governor Ned Lamont signed An Act Concerning Renewable Power Generation (H.B. 5340) into law. The law will make solar energy, battery storage, and other forms of renewable energy more affordable and accessible by authorizing balcony solar, extending state programs and incentives, improving permitting, and more.
CTLCV TAKE: Connecticut LCV Deputy Director Connor Yakaitis said, “At a time when Connecticut residents remain concerned about the cost of utilities, this action reinforces our state’s commitment to expanding renewable energy, lowering long-term energy costs, and building a more resilient electric grid. In signing this bill, the Governor marks an important milestone in Connecticut’s continued transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy future. By preserving critical cost-saving programs for residential, commercial, and community solar, the state is providing the certainty needed for families, businesses, and the clean energy industry to continue investing in solar energy.
“While more work remains to make energy more affordable and achieve our state’s clean energy goals, today’s action provides a strong foundation for continued progress. We want to thank Governor Lamont, Senator Needleman and Representative Steinberg, along with legislative leaders and stakeholders for advancing policies that deliver cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy for communities across Connecticut.”
PENNSYLVANIA BUDGET INCLUDES STRICTER DATA CENTER REGULATIONS, FAILS TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS ENERGY AFFORDABILITY: Governor Josh Shapiro signed Pennsylvania’s new budget, which includes provisions requiring data centers to report their water and power usage annually. Additionally, it continues to invest in the state’s successful Solar for Schools program. However, Pennsylvania Republicans blocked efforts to expand access to cheaper clean energy and help provide relief for residents experiencing skyrocketing utility bills.
CVPA TAKE: 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. This dynamic leaves us, once again, with a state budget that does little to address the urgent needs of Pennsylvanians or of our shared environment.”
TRUMP SLASHES PROTECTIONS FOR TWO UTAH NATIONAL MONUMENTS: On Monday, Trump reversed protections for 3 million acres (nearly 90%) of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah. Eliminating protections for these culturally and ecologically significant lands is yet another giveaway from the Trump administration to Big Polluters who want to drill and mine on these lands.
OUR TAKE: LCV Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick said, “By gutting protections for the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, Trump has opened the door to sell-off these sacred lands to Big Polluters at the expense of our communities and environment. Despite nationwide, bipartisan support for protecting national monuments, Trump continues to disregard the will of the people, including the 70% of Utah voters who support protections for these lands, in order to benefit his Big Polluter allies. LCV stands with the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase inter-tribal coalitions who have stewarded these lands for millennia and have long fought for their permanent protections. We are committed to the fight to protect our national monuments and public lands for generations to come.”
STEWARDSHIP UTAH TAKE: Stewardship Utah co-director David Garbett said, “History will not remember this kindly. Most of our iconic treasures start as national monuments–four out of five national parks in Utah started this way. It is no different with Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante.”
MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS APPROVE DANGEROUS LINE 5 TUNNEL PERMITS: Michigan regulators approved state permits for Canadian oil giant Enbridge to construct a new pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. The tunnel poses a significant environmental threat to the Great Lakes due to the threat of collapse or explosion, tramples Tribal treaty rights and Indigenous sites, and locks in Michigan’s dirty energy future. Viable alternatives to the dangerous Line 5 pipeline without building the tunnel have been identified by independent experts.
MICHIGAN LCV TAKE: Michigan LCV President and CEO Lisa Wozniak said, “Governor Gretchen Whitmer had the opportunity to put the health and safety of our Great Lakes first, but instead, backtracked on a promise she made to Michiganders and instead approved a dangerous project that threatens the drinking water for millions of people and our state’s Number One economic driver. Rather than doing everything she can to safeguard the Great Lakes, Governor Whitmer is enabling a Canadian oil company to saddle Michigan taxpayers with billions of dollars in financial liability if something goes wrong. We condemn this action as a betrayal of the promise Gov. Whitmer made as a candidate to shut down Line 5.”
NEW JERSEY LCV CO-HOSTS PANEL ON THE 14TH AMENDMENT: New Jersey LCV, along with five other organizations and Representative Analilia Mejia (NJ-11), co-hosted a panel called “Defending Democracy: The 14th Amendment and Voting Rights Act Forum.” The event focused on connecting insights from legal experts, advocates, and community members about threats to the 14th Amendment.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ADD SAVE ACT TO APPROPRIATIONS BILL: This week, House Republicans made yet another attempt to revive the so-called SAVE Act by attaching it to an unrelated appropriations bill. This is the latest attempt to restrict voting by implementing unnecessary barriers causing chaos in our election systems. The bill, H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, passed the House on Wednesday night, but the SAVE Act is dead on arrival in the Senate. Ahead of the House vote, LCV sent a letter to members of the House urging them to oppose the bill.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy Doug Lindner said, “Trump and his extreme Republican allies in Congress are doing everything in their power to weaken our democracy and make voting harder for huge numbers of eligible Americans. A healthy environment requires a robust, inclusive democracy, but Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are constantly repeating dangerous lies about immigrants to undermine Americans’ constitutional freedom to vote. If passed, this bill would make voter registration harder for hundreds of millions of Americans without making our elections any more secure. The SAVE Act’s sole purpose is to indulge Donald Trump’s Big Lie and advance the Republican voter suppression agenda.
“We oppose the SAVE Act in any form and on any legislative vehicle, including merged with or attached to appropriations legislation. The SAVE Act would be the biggest federal voting rights rollback in the history of the United States and put undue burden on the rights of hundreds of millions of eligible voters. LCV appreciates Democrats in the House and Senate standing firm against this bill in all forms and vehicles.”
TAKE 2: From the letter, LCV Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy Doug Lindner said, “We oppose the SAVE America Act in any form and on any legislative vehicle, including merged with or attached to H.R. 8595 the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. The SAVE America Act would not make our elections more secure. Instead, it would weaken our democracy by denying eligible Americans their rights, create significant barriers to voting for massive numbers of eligible American voters, and cause the biggest federal voting rights rollback in the history of the United States.”
TODD BLANCHE’S CONFIRMATION HEARING: Todd Blanche, acting attorney general and Trump’s pick for the role, has begun the confirmation process. To clear the Senate Judiciary Committee, Blanche will require support from all Republicans. He has so far faced bipartisan questioning about the anti-weaponization fund, working for Trump instead of the people, and the Epstein files, among others.
OUR TAKE: Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy Doug Lindner said, “This confirmation hearing has shown Todd Blanche will only continue to be Trump’s lawyer, upending generations of Justice Department ethics and independence. Blanche has consistently weaponized the DOJ while Deputy Attorney General for the president’s personal agenda. He has protected Trump’s friends and targeted his perceived enemies, has decimated environmental and civil rights enforcement, has attempted to use funds from the Justice Department to pay off Big Polluters, and tried to give nearly $2 billion taxpayer dollars to the president and his fellow insurrectionists.
“No one is above the law, but Todd Blanche’s track record shows that he will help Donald Trump undermine the rule of law, the Constitution, and the people’s freedoms and protections. The Senate must reject this dangerous nomination and demand an Attorney General who works for the people, not just the president and his corporate billionaire friends.”
LCV ACTION FUND ANNOUNCES NEW ENDORSEMENTS: LCV Action Fund announced seven new endorsements for the U.S. House of Representatives, including Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), and candidates Manny Rutinel (CO-08), Matt Dunlap (ME-02), Teresa Benitez-Thompson (NV-02), Cait Conley (NY-17), Blake Gendebien (NY-21), and Johnny Garcia (TX-35).
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “Families cannot afford to keep up with higher costs as temperatures continue to rise while Trump and MAGA Republicans in Congress continue to advance their reckless policies. We need strong leaders who will stand up for our freedoms and protect our communities from the Big Polluters and other greedy corporate special interests who are making record profits at our expense. LCV Action Fund is all in to support these candidates who will fight for our planet and future generations.”
LCV ACTION FUND ENDORSES REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN FITZPATRICK: LCV Action Fund, along with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund, has endorsed Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) for re-relection to the House of Representatives. This marks the first time in NRDC Action Fund’s history that the organization has endorsed a Republican candidate.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick understands that protecting our environment and building a strong economy go hand in hand. We appreciate his leadership fighting for affordable clean energy solutions that will bring down families’ bills while creating good jobs in Pennsylvania and across the nation, for protecting clean water and communities from toxic PFAS chemicals, and for standing up to Big Polluters and to the Trump administration in order to safeguard our environment. We are proud to endorse him for reelection.”
NRDC TAKE: NRDC Action Fund Managing Director Jed Ober said, “Congressman Fitzpatrick has repeatedly stood up to both the Trump White House and Republican leaders in Congress to defend his constituents against the polluter lobby. He understands that a cleaner environment and abundant, affordable, American-made energy from the sun and the wind will strengthen our economy, lower costs for families and create jobs in Pennsylvania and across the country.”
FITZPATRICK TAKE: Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) said, “I am honored to earn these endorsements because it reflects the work we are doing in PA-1 to protect clean water, confront PFAS contamination, and build a cleaner, stronger future for families in Bucks and Montgomery counties and across America. Together, we have helped lead the national fight for PFAS accountability and stronger safeguards for our communities. America should not have to choose between protecting our environment and building the future. We can do both—by cleaning up contamination, holding polluters accountable, and ensuring the next generation of clean energy technology is built here at home, by American workers, in American communities. Working side by side, we will continue turning this shared commitment into results families can feel: safer water, healthier communities, stronger jobs, and a cleaner, more competitive America.”
LCV ACTION FUND ANNOUNCES ENDORSEMENTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE CONGRESSIONAL RACES: LCV Action Fund endorsed Stefany Shaheen and Representative Maggie Goodlander for New Hampshire’s 1st and the 2nd congressional districts, respectively.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “New Hampshirites have seen their energy bills rise 11% in recent years, fueling the affordability crisis worsened by the disastrous policies of President Trump and Congressional Republicans and their extreme attacks on affordable American-made clean energy.We are proud to endorse Stefany Shaheen and Maggie Goodlander for Congress because they will work tirelessly to lower families’ energy costs, speed clean energy solutions, address toxic PFAS chemical contamination, and protect our air, land and water.”
TAKE 2: LCV Action Fund New Hampshire State Director Rob Werner said, “Stefany Shaheen and Maggie Goodlander have proven records of community involvement and commitment to Granite State environmental values. The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund is proud to endorse these environmental champions for Congress in New Hampshire, and we look forward to working with them as members of Congress to continue to protect clean air and water and expand a clean energy economy that will lower costs for consumers and create jobs for our citizens.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned for exciting new content, coming soon to The Power Source Blog!
ON OUR SOCIALS: While Todd Blanche’s confirmation is still ongoing, he’s made one thing clear: he’s still Trump’s lawyer. And with Trump drastically scaling back protections for U.S. waters, national monuments, and endangered species, another thing is clear: we deserve a lawyer who serves the public, not the president.
JULY 17-19: John Lewis Good Trouble Lives On Weekend of Action.
JULY 20: Comment period on EPA’s proposal to roll back PFAS limits closes.
JULY 29: Comment period on the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to weaken protections for the Chaco Culture National Historical Park closes.
AUGUST 1: August recess begins.
AUGUST 29: Comment period closes on the EPA’s proposal to roll back emissions limits for heavy trucks and buses.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters