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 state legislative wins and the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink environmental protections and institutions.
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“Let’s call this what it is: a full-blown assault on science and public safety.”
— Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) on the Trump administration’s moves to make deep cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and climate programs across federal agencies.
“Today, the tables have turned. The world’s highest court provided us with a powerful new tool to protect people from the devastating impacts of the climate crisis — and to deliver justice for the harm their emissions have already caused.”
— Mary Robinson, former U.N. human rights chief, on the International Court of Justice’s opinion stating that UN nations who fail to address climate change could be in violation of international law.
“Instead of working with Democrats to make investments that can help lower their costs, protect our environment, and preserve our public lands and institutions, Republicans have put forward a bill that favors billionaires’ and corporations’ right to pollute and destroy the environment over the health and safety of the American people.”
— Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) on House Republicans’ 2026 Interior and Environment funding bill.
LCV STATE AFFILIATES AND GOVERNORS CALL FOR MAJOR ELECTRICITY GRID REFORM: LCV and our state affiliates joined governors from Delaware, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Tennessee to call for major reform from regional electricity grid operator Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection’s (PJM) leadership following the recent PJM capacity auction. The auction, in which power generators compete for bids to provide electricity for the PJM grid, saw prices jump by 22%, setting a record high for the second year in a row. Facing exponentially increasing energy demand, an affordability crisis, and worsening impacts of climate change, PJM is proving they’re stuck in the past by locking in fossil fuels rather than advancing cheaper clean energy solutions.
NEW JERSEY LCV TAKE: New Jersey LCV Executive Director Ed Potosnak said, “The results of PJM’s latest capacity auction represents the highest price PJM could charge, and it’s New Jersey ratepayers who will pay the price. Thanks to Governor Shapiro’s leadership and Governor Phil Murphy’s strong support there was a cap on this auction and sadly PJM went right up to this ceiling. Once again, PJM is failing to connect clean energy projects in New Jersey to the grid, driving up costs and increasing electricity rates. Clean energy is the cheaper, faster, and healthier approach. A 100% clean energy standard will create good-paying, local union jobs that can’t be outsourced, improve public health, and finally free New Jersey from PJM’s costly delays. We call on the legislature to act immediately and pass the 100% clean energy by 2035 bill. New Jersey families, workers, and communities can’t afford to wait.”
CVPA TAKE: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Molly Parzen said, “We applaud Governor Shapiro for standing firm in his commitment to hold PJM accountable for skyrocketing energy costs. We reject PJM’s notion that there isn’t enough energy to meet rising demands while hundreds of renewable energy projects languish on the queue. Time and time again, we have seen PJM prioritize dirty energy over renewables, even when renewables are the cheaper, quicker option. We echo the sentiments of Governor Shapiro and his counterparts that PJM must make meaningful changes.”
MLCV TAKE: Maryland LCV Executive Director Kim Coble said, “Marylanders have seen their electricity bills rapidly increase as a direct result of decisions made by PJM. Maryland LCV is grateful to Governor Moore for this unprecedented bipartisan action demanding accountability in these decisions, and for partnering with governors across our grid to make sure PJM makes more responsible decisions that protect ratepayers.”
IEC TAKE: The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, in which Illinois Environmental Council serves as a steering committee member, said, “The results of PJM’s capacity market auction are sobering, particularly when Illinois ratepayers are already facing skyrocketing energy bills. As Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers sap up more and more power and President Trump’s Big Terrible Bill rolls back clean energy tax incentives that could save families hundreds, it is clear we need immediate action to protect Illinois consumers. While grid operators like PJM and MISO are slow to connect cost-effective clean energy to the grid and help meet growing demand, the Trump Administration is moving fast to bail out the fossil fuel industry at ratepayers’ expense. As new federal policies make our power dirtier and more expensive, it is crucial that Illinois lawmakers can step up to the plate this fall and pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act to protect families from utility bill spikes, preserve and grow our clean energy workforce, and maintain our national leadership on climate action.”
MARYLAND ESTABLISHES STATEWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORK: Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order to create an environmental justice advisory council and require all state agencies to prioritize environmental justice in their work.
MLCV TAKE: Maryland LCV Executive Director Kim Coble said, “This executive order demonstrates exactly the kind of bold environmental justice leadership Maryland needs. We are pleased Governor Moore is prioritizing the health of overburdened communities by applying an all-of-government approach to addressing cumulative environmental harms in our most vulnerable communities. The state will benefit significantly from meaningful community engagement across agencies to address concerns in Maryland’s most overburdened communities.”
CONNECTICUT LCV RELEASES 2025 LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD: Connecticut LCV (CTLCV) released its annual scorecard for the 2025 legislative session. The scorecard names 21 environmental champions, including Representative John Michael Parker, the 2025 Key Environmental Champion. CTLCV celebrated the passage of 10 pro-environment bills, including H.B. 5004 and S.B. 9, which address emissions and climate resilience, respectively.
CTLCV TAKE: Connecticut LCV Board of Directors Chair Joseph McGee said, “This year brought real challenges. While federal rollbacks threaten progress on climate and clean energy, we remain focused on pushing Connecticut forward. The momentum for climate action this session was prominent, proof that committed advocacy makes a difference.”
CONSERVATION VOTERS NEW MEXICO RELEASES 2025 LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SCORECARD: Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) released their annual legislative Scorecard for the 2025 legislative session. Almost half of the state’s legislators received perfect scores for their votes to support pro-environment policies. CVNM highlighted the passage of S.B. 21, the Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act, and S.B. 37, the Strategic Water Reserve Act, which target water quality and management.
CVNM TAKE: Conservation Voters of New Mexico Chief Operating Officer Molly Taylor said, “At a time when communities are reeling from the harmful actions of the Trump Administration, we’re fortunate to have state lawmakers stepping up to the plate in bold ways to protect our communities and economy. With nearly half of the legislature receiving the highest mark on the Scorecard, it shows that voters are electing leaders that are ready and willing to fight back against federal cuts and do all they can to protect our democracy and the Land of Enchantment. We express deep gratitude and appreciation to New Mexico’s climate and conservation leaders.”
EPA SHUTTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ARM: EPA announced its plan to close its Office of Research and Development, which plays an essential role in responding to national disasters and developing regulations to protect public health and the environment. This comes following EPA’s announcement last week of the “next phase” of its reorganization that will force out career staff across the agency.
LCV released a memo highlighting the Trump administration’s most recent disastrous executive actions and their harm to the environment and workforce, including these EPA layoffs.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “The Trump Administration’s systematic dismantling of environmental protections in just the last few weeks represents a ramp up of their unprecedented assault on public health, climate action, and energy affordability. The elimination of critical scientific investments, replacement of career experts, creation of bureaucratic roadblocks to clean energy, and blatant disregard for the law all indicate the Trump Administration’s fundamental rejection of the federal government’s responsibility to protect American families from environmental harm and costly energy demands. These destructive policies will cement decades of environmental rollbacks that will be felt by Americans today and long into the future through higher energy costs, dirtier air and water, and worsening climate impacts.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ADVANCE INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL: House Republicans advanced the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which seeks to dismantle environmental agencies and force through extreme anti-environmental policy provisions that harm our air, water, public lands, wildlife, and so much more.
Ahead of the markup, LCV joined over 50 environmental organizations urging members to oppose these extreme policy changes.
COALITION TAKE: From the letter, “Now is the time to invest more—not less—in the agencies and programs that steward our lands, water, air, oceans, and wildlife and protect our public health. Severe staffing shortages and the extreme cuts to the Department of the Interior, EPA, and other critical agencies would impede their ability to deliver on their missions for the benefit of the American people. Underinvestment in these agencies and the services they provide the public undermines bedrock environmental laws that have had bipartisan support for decades. Furthermore, poison-pill riders, such as those eroding protections for the environment and public health in this bill, have no place in the appropriations process, and must be rejected.”
ON THE BLOG: As the light fades from our eyes day by day at the federal level (only 466 days ‘til the midterms…), we’re turning our attention to local elected officials. Check out the newest article on The Power Source to catch up with LCV Candidate Academy Alum Ana Alicia Horn who was recently elected to the school board in Mansfield, Texas and how she plans to make a difference in her community in her new role.
ON OUR SOCIALS: A reminder as the East Coast enters yet another extreme heat wave that none of this is normal. We’re continuing to fight back against the Trump administration’s attacks on our climate (here, here, and here) and democracy and holding the administration accountable for the harm they are causing our communities.
TODAY: Chispa Nevada and Nevada Environmental Justice Coalition Legislative Recap in Las Vegas, Nevada.
JULY 26: Chispa Texas desalination townhall and celebration of state work.
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.
AUGUST 12: Poll Worker Recruitment Day.
SEPTEMBER 6: Chispa Texas Organizing Summit in Corpus Christi, Texas.
SEPTEMBER 30: Government Funding Deadline.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters