This Week in Climate Action - June 6, 2025 - League of Conservation Voters

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 Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, attacks on public lands, and climate innovation in the states.

Join us Monday, June 9th, for LCV’s biggest night of the year, the Capital Dinner! Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock of Georgia will deliver the keynote address as we recognize our state affiliates in the Conservation Voters Movement, honor the lasting legacy of LCV President Gene Karpinski, and formally introduce Pete Maysmith as the new LCV president. For details and press credentials, email press@lcv.org.

Also, be sure to follow LCV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“Trump and his allies want to rewrite the rules to make himself untouchable.”

— Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Republicans’ Billionaire Tax Scam bill that would endanger our freedoms and make it easier for Trump to ignore court orders.

“Senate Republicans sell out the American people so Big Oil can sell more gasoline.”

— Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) in response to Senate Republicans’ reconciliation text.

“From Texas and California to Florida and Illinois, lawmakers will put Americans nationwide out of work if this legislation becomes law, plain and simple.”

— Solar Energy Industries Association CEO Abigail Ross Hopper on the analysis produced by SEIA showing potential job losses as a result of the Republican spending bill.

TOP NEWS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

STATE NEWS

STATE LEAGUES FIGHT TO PROTECT CLEAN ENERGY JOBS AND TAX CREDITS: Communities across the country voiced their concerns over the potential sweeping elimination of clean energy tax credits under Trump’s Big Ugly Bill. In addition to rolling back standards for polluters, proposed cuts would directly impact communities across the nation who face potential job cuts, higher rates for consumers, and threats to local economies.

VALCV TAKE: Virginia LCV Executive Director Mike Town said, “Will this bill, if passed by the Senate and signed into law, absolutely harm clean energy development and manufacturing across the country? Yes. Unquestionably.”

VALCV TAKE 2: Virginia LCV Director of Advocacy and Campaigns Blair St. Ledger-Olson said, “Rolling these tax credits back harms the region’s opportunity to be an anchor in the offshore wind supply chain, revitalize our port infrastructure and be a national leader in the clean energy transition, not to mention threatening the environmental progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve.”

CONSERVATION COLORADO TAKE: Conservation Colorado West Slope Organizing Manager Jim Marshall said, “ This debate affects what families discuss around kitchen tables: Can we afford the electric bill? Will my solar factory job survive? Could we replace that inefficient furnace costing hundreds extra each winter? The House passed reconciliation legislation eliminating tax credits for energy efficiency upgrades, heat pumps, and solar installations at year’s end, with other credits phasing out after 2028. For families planning improvements or workers building careers in these industries, this creates painful uncertainty.”

“The Senate now has the opportunity to preserve these vital economic lifelines. Clean energy tax credits are working — lowering utility bills, creating stable jobs, and making efficient home improvements accessible.”

CONSERVATION COLORADO TAKE 2: Conservation Colorado Vice President Katie Belgard said, “It is the most anti-environmental bill we’ve seen in the history of the country. This has been a giveaway for polluters and the fossil fuel industry here in Colorado.”

CHISPA NV TAKE: Chispa Nevada Program Director Audrey Peral said, “Es de gran importancia de que estemos comunicándonos con nuestras senadoras Jackie Rosen y Catherine Cortez Masto. Son las senadoras que pertenecen aquí al estado de Nevada, entonces eso significa que ellas son nuestras representantes al nivel federal, y es por eso que necesitan escuchar de nuestra comunidad haciéndoles llamadas, mandándoles correos electrónicos, mandándoles cartas en cada nivel. Hasta en las redes sociales nosotros deberíamos de estar haciendo todo lo posible para asegurar de que ellas sepan que su comunidad, la gente que ellas representan, quieren que no pase este proyecto de ley y entonces para es muy importante que ahorita la comunidad se esté comunicando con nuestros representantes bien ahora.”

Her statement is also available in English: “For us here in Nevada it is of great importance that we are communicating with our senators, Jackie Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, who belong here to the state of Nevada. That means that they are our representatives at the federal level and that is why they need to hear from our community by calling them, sending them emails, sending them letters at every level right now, even in social networks. We should be doing everything possible to make sure they know that their community is made up of the people they represent [who] want this bill not to pass. It is important that the community is communicating with our representatives right now.”

CONNECTICUT PASSES MAJOR CLIMATE BILL: The Connecticut state legislature passed a major bill targeting climate emissions in the state. The bill establishes a net-zero goal for the state by 2050, prioritizes tax rebates for climate conscious businesses, outlines a plan for increasing solar canopies, and more.

CTLCV TAKE: Connecticut LCV Executive Director Lori Brown said, “Passing HB 5004 and SB 9 is welcome progress as we work to address climate change and put Connecticut back on track to meet our climate goals. Rep. John Michael Parker has been a steadfast champion of this effort in his first year as Environment Committee Chair. This renewed focus on climate by our state leaders is essential in the face of federal attacks on our environment by the Trump administration.”

SEN. MAHER TAKE: Connecticut state Senator Ceci Maher said, “Record floods destroying infrastructure, rising tides threatening our coasts, heat waves spiking energy bills and putting vulnerable people at risk – now more than ever, we are seeing and living the impacts of our changing climate… With these pressures in mind, achieving progress in protecting our environment is more important than ever, and this legislation helps our state advance. Increased focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy and creating clean energy jobs is a pathway to setting our state up for long-term success.”

MICHIGAN ADVOCACY GROUPS FIGHT AGAINST UTILITY HIKES: Michigan LCV, Clean Water Action, Detroit Action, Michigan United Action, Voters Not Politicians, and state Representative Donavan McKinney led a rally in Detroit protesting proposed utility rate hikes ahead of a Michigan Public Service Commission hearing.

MILCV TAKE: Michigan LCV Partnerships Coordinator Roslyn Ogburn said, “We shouldn’t be forced to pay more for our energy just so CEOs and executives can get big bonuses. The status quo of high energy costs and poor service is not working for Michiganders. That’s why we are calling on lawmakers to reject political donations from big energy utility companies and put the people first in Lansing.”

NEW JERSEY ROLLS OUT ELECTRIC BILL RELIEF FUNDS: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced a $430 million relief package for New Jersey residents’ power bills. The bill includes $100 for all 3.9 million residential ratepayers in the state and another $150 for low and moderate-income ratepayers. This relief comes as electric bill rates are skyrocketing in the state, with Murphy and other state leaders emphasizing that this is only a first step in addressing a long-term supply issue.

GOV. MURPHY TAKE: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said, “Today, we are coming together to provide critical economic relief to the people of New Jersey by directly lowering the cost of their monthly energy bills. But let me be clear: this is a short-term solution for the people of our state being battered [by] rising energy costs.”

NEW YORK LAWMAKERS PROMOTE LOW-CARBON FUELS: New York state lawmakers and advocates are pushing to pass a measure to reduce transportation emissions by implementing low carbon fuel standards in the state. The measure sets a goal of reducing carbon fuels for transportation by 20% by 2033, and would use revenues generated from eligible utilities and vehicle fleets to fund electrification projects.

NYLCV TAKE: New York LCV President Julie Tighe said, “New York has to lead… We cannot let four years go by without taking real action to transition away from fossil fuels, and Washington, D.C., is not going to help.”

CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES FIRST SOLAR-OVER-CANAL PROJECT: California unveiled a first-of-its-kind solar project that covers 1,400 feet of canals with solar panels. The panels are expected to generate 1.3 gigawatts of power annually, conserve land, reduce evaporative water loss, and improve water quality.

NEVADA PASSES BILL TO ADDRESS EXTREME HEAT: AB96 is now law in Nevada, requiring Clark and Washoe Counties to include heat mitigation strategies in long-term development plans. This is a critical step to protect communities facing dangerous and intensifying heat. The bill’s passage follows months of advocacy from Nevadans demanding action and marks real progress toward a safer, more resilient future.

NATIONAL NEWS

LOCAL LEADERS CALL ON CONGRESS TO PROTECT CLEAN ENERGY TAX CREDITS: 175 local government officials representing 45 states signed a letter demanding that Congress vote to protect clean energy tax credits. The credits, which would be eliminated under Trump’s anti-environmental billionaire tax scam, are boosting local economies, creating jobs, and supporting clean energy programs nationwide.

CLIMATE MAYORS’ TAKE: From the letter, “We are excited about these projects and the benefits they will bring to our communities. However, as local leaders, we are concerned that repealing these clean energy tax credits could create economic uncertainty in our communities, as it would prevent us from accessing those important benefits. 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.

“We look forward to working with you to preserve these vital tax incentives. We also ask that you consider us as partners in crafting bipartisan policies that ensure economic certainty, job creation, and a clean energy future for local communities.”

CLIMATE ATTACKS FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS

TRUMP’S BIG UGLY BILL GOES TO THE SENATE: The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works released its reconciliation bill text, which prioritizes sweetheart deals for polluters while significantly cutting programs that protect our communities from dangerous pollution, like the Diesel Emissions Reduction Program, and those that help disadvantaged communities tap into clean energy and energy efficiency benefits, like the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). The committee’s bill text also rolls back vehicle emissions standards and advances corrupt “pay-to-play politics” that allow the biggest polluters to bypass National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and judicial reviews by paying a fee.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “The EPW title underscores just how Big and Ugly this reconciliation bill is. This proposed bill advances wildly unpopular policies that put billionaires above the law by creating corrupt pay-to-play schemes and other sweetheart deals for oil and gas executives, repeal vehicle efficiency standards, and threaten our health by eliminating programs that reduce pollution in schools, from dirty diesel trucks and buses, and more, all while cutting funding for communities to even be able to track harmful air pollution. Catering to fossil fuel executives’ wishlist will also drive up families’ energy costs, since it would slash efficiency standards and programs that have saved people trillions of dollars on gas and electricity and eliminate tens of billions of dollars of investments in cheaper, faster clean electricity. We urge Senate Republicans to stand up to Big Polluters and oppose this bill in order to protect our health, our clean air and clean water, and families’ budgets and businesses’ bottom lines.”

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT PROPOSES OPENING ALASKA PETROLEUM RESERVE FOR DRILLING: The Interior Department moved to repeal a rule protecting Alaska’s Western Arctic from oil and gas drilling. This decision would remove protections against oil and gas drilling for 13 million acres of public lands in the Western Arctic which is sacred to local Indigenous communities and home to vital ecosystems and wildlife.

OUR TAKE: LCV Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick said, “With this proposal, the Trump administration is once again putting the interests of billionaire polluting industries above those of local communities, wildlife, and the environment. By attempting to roll back critical, broadly supported protections for the Western Arctic, this administration is putting lands that sustain cultural traditions, food security and health of Indigenous communities at risk, all while indulging the oil and gas industry and exacerbating the climate crisis. The Department of the Interior must not ignore public input from impacted communities, as well as the voices of over 250,000 people who have previously weighed in in support of these protections.”

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ROLLS BACK FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS: The Department of Transportation undermined fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks, which have saved consumers trillions of dollars since their implementation. Scaling back these standards provides opportunities for fossil fuel executives to line their pockets at the expense of clean air and public health.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “The Trump administration just circumvented public input and quietly undermined a program that has saved families trillions of dollars at the pump in order to benefit fossil fuel executives. This attack on fuel-efficiency standards comes at the same time as Republicans in Congress are attempting to pass the anti-environmental billionaire tax scam in which the Senate proposes eliminating penalties for automakers that do not comply with the standards, and the House approved getting rid of the money-saving standards altogether. Either way, consumers would lose out on cost-saving technologies that save them at the gas pump. Congress must overhaul or reject the most anti-environmental bill ever and the Trump administration must be held to account for their actions that prioritize polluters over people.”

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “These assaults on our clean air protections must stop. The undermining of CAFE standards, or fuel economy standards that we fought so hard for, will not go unnoticed. They have saved families trillions of dollars at the pump, and helped keep our air cleaner. Over 26 million people of color live in counties that received failing grades on air quality measures, including some 15.2 million Latinos, according to the American Lung Association. We will not stop fighting for a clean energy economy that protects our planet and our communities. It’s time for our leaders to protect our families, not Big Oil polluters.”

EPA’S ROLL BACK OF PROTECTIONS THREATENS HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES EACH YEAR: An analysis conducted by the Associated Press found that the proposal to roll back 31 safeguards by Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin could be devastating to the economy and human health. The air and water protections, which include efforts to reduce emissions from dirty energy power plants and protections for vital rivers and wetlands, were targeted in what Administrator Zeldin called the “most consequential day of deregulation in American history.” AP found that the rules could prevent an estimated 30,000 deaths and save $275 billion a year.

NEW ON THE POWER SOURCE BLOG AND SOCIALS:

ON THE BLOG: As Senate Republicans begin releasing text for their Big Ugly reconciliation bill, we’re breaking down why this is the most anti-environmental bill ever passed in Congress in the latest entry on The Power Source Blog.

ON OUR SOCIALS: In the best week on the Internet in a while, the tea is piping and the girls are fighting!! But while Trump and Musk’s whirlwind romance may be over (breakups are so hard…), the fight to protect clean energy investments in the federal budget is not. We’re pushing back on Republicans’ anti-environmental Billionaire Tax Scam and holding members accountable.