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 congressional Republicans’ attacks on clean air and water and how the progressive movement is coming together to make Good Trouble.
Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok.
“President Trump promised to address the cost-of-living crisis, but instead, he and House Republicans are making it worse.”
— Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) on House Republicans FY26 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies funding bill.
“The impact of the shutdown has been devastating. Communities across the country are being forced to delay, scale back, or cancel hundreds of mitigation projects depending on this funding.”
— A coalition of 20 states who are suing the Trump administration for its termination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Building Resilient Infrastructures and Communities program on the impacts of funding cuts.
“Instead of protecting our environment … the Trump administration is treating our home as one massive playground for Big Oil billionaire buddies.”
— Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) in support of a congressional resolution recognizing the government’s duty to protect young people from climate change and limit actions that harm the environment.
NEW YORK APPROVES NEW SOLAR PROJECT: Governor Kathy Hochul approved the first permit for a solar facility co-located with a wind facility in Madison County, New York. The facility will provide 140 megawatts of clean, affordable energy (enough to power 23,000 homes), create 330 clean energy jobs, and reduce carbon emissions by 177,000 metric tons.
ADELITA GRIJALVA WINS ARIZONA DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY: Climate champion Adelita Grijalva won the special election primary for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona’s 7th district. If elected, Grijalva will be the first Latina to represent Arizona in Congress.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Vice President of Political Affairs Craig Auster said, “Congratulations to Adelita Grijalva on her primary win! As we continue to see record heat across Arizona and the country, it has never been more important to have an environmental champion like Adelita Grijalva in Congress who will protect our public lands, address the climate crisis, and fight for environmental justice and future generations.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS RELEASE ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS: House Republicans released text for several anti-environmental appropriations bills. These bills propose billions of dollars in cuts to vital programs that protect our clean air and water, help deploy cost-saving clean energy, maintain our public lands, address a legacy of environmental injustice, and tackle the climate crisis.
OUR TAKE: LCV Legislative Director David Shadburn said, “On the heels of Congressional Republicans passing polluters’ wishlist and a massive utility rate hike in the Big Ugly Bill, they are doubling down on making costs higher and harming communities. Their extreme spending bills will raise energy costs for families and businesses by banning affordable clean energy and blocking fuel efficiency standards. They take a sledgehammer to EPA’s scientific capacity, prohibit the agency from doing its job of protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink, and cut investments in water infrastructure and our natural resources. These bills also contain extreme partisan poison pill provisions routinely rejected by Congress, which will further harm communities by attacking racial justice, the LGBTQIA+ community, humane treatment of immigrants, access to abortion, and more of our fundamental rights.
“Instead of raising energy costs, mandating drilling on public lands, and defunding national parks, water infrastructure, and public transportation, Congress should be safeguarding our communities and ensuring basic environmental protections are adequately funded. Congress must reject these draconian spending cuts and outlandish poison pill riders and get serious about protecting our communities, our environment, and our health.”
SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH FORWARD ON BOVE’S NOMINATION TO THIRD CIRCUIT: Senate Republicans voted to advance Emil Bove’s nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Bove is notorious in his current Justice Department role for allegedly working to purge 1/6 investigators, defy federal court orders, and extort the mayor of New York for policy concessions in exchange for dropping a corruption case.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Director of Judiciary and Democracy Doug Linder said, “Emil Bove is exactly the kind of nominee the Senate was intended to block. Bove has shown repeatedly and recently that the people cannot trust him to follow the Constitution and pursue equal justice under law. Reports of his repeated, unprecedented abuses of power at the Justice Department over the last six months are absolutely disqualifying, especially for a lifetime seat on a powerful federal appeals court. The laws that protect our environment and our freedoms need judges who act in good faith, and Senators must not allow a nominee who thoroughly fails that test to be confirmed.”
Earlier this week, LCV joined over two dozen organizations in a letter urging the Senate to reject Emil Bove’s nomination.
COALITION TAKE: From the letter, “Congress has a sworn duty to serve as a vital check on the power of the executive. We write today not because we disagree with President Trump’s politics. Or because we seek a political ‘win’ by seeing one of his nominees fail to be confirmed. Or because we fear we might disagree with decisions a potential Judge Bove could make in the future. We write today because Mr. Bove has demonstrated that every time he’s put in a position of authority, he abuses it. Every opportunity to uphold the Constitution has been met with decisions that serve his political goals over legal principles. His record is not one of missteps—it is a pattern of disqualifying conduct.”
SARA SCHREIBER JOINS LCV AS SVP OF CAMPAIGNS: Sara Schreiber has joined LCV as the new senior vice president of campaigns, succeeding Pete Maysmith who was recently named the new president of LCV. Schreiber previously served as the chief of staff for the Biden-Harris and Harris-Walz presidential campaigns and as the executive director of America Votes.
OUR TAKE: LCV President Pete Maysmith said, “As threats against our environment and democracy continue to mount, we are thrilled to have Sara, a true campaigns and mobilization pro, joining LCV. President Trump and the Republican Congress have launched a full-on attack against the common-sense policies and safeguards that lower energy costs, create family-sustaining jobs, and protect the air we breathe and water we drink. Sara’s experience packs a one-two punch–she’s a savvy political strategist who knows the national landscape, has worked with key national and state organizations, and is deeply connected to voter education and turnout. As we look to make sure those who voted for the Big Ugly Bill hear from their constituents in the coming months and look ahead to the 2026 Midterm elections, her expertise in large-scale engagement and voter mobilization will be invaluable.”
TAKE 2: Incoming LCV Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “I am thrilled to join the team that has been on the frontlines of defending climate progress and making strides toward a clean energy future, both nationally and in the states. The League of Conservation Voters plays a crucial role in protecting our environment for future generations and working to improve the quality of life of all Americans. I grew up in the West and have seen firsthand the impact that climate change is having in our communities — from rising energy costs to wildfires and extreme weather. I have also seen the long-term economic opportunities we can create if we tackle these challenges head on. I can’t wait to hit the ground running to build on LCV’s work by leading impactful campaigns across the country.”
ON THE BLOG: Tonight, we’re hitting the streets to make Good Trouble about 1,500 rallies across the country. Learn more about this evening’s peaceful protests and how they were inspired by the legacy of the late, great Representative John Lewis in the newest article on The Power Source Blog. See you there!
ON OUR SOCIALS: We’ve been getting in good, necessary trouble all week to protest the Trump administration’s attacks on our civil and human rights, and the trouble continues tonight at 1,500 Good Trouble Lives On rallies nationwide. There is something magical about joining forces with fellow climate and civil rights activists…
COMING UP:
TODAY: Good Trouble Lives On John Lewis Day of Action.
JULY 18: Deadline for Congress to Pass a Rescissions Package.
JULY 24: Chispa Nevada and Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition Legislative Recap in Las Vegas, Nevada.
JULY 30: Chispa Nevada and Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition Legislative Recap in Reno, Nevada.
AUGUST: August Congressional Recess.
AUGUST 6: 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
SEPTEMBER 6: Chispa Texas Organizing Summit in Corpus Christi, Texas.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters