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 EPA’s large-scale attack on environmental protections, the legacy of Representative Raúl Grijalva, and the continued fight to fund the government before tonight’s midnight deadline.
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“He dedicated over 50 years of his life to speaking up for those who couldn’t speak for themselves. He is the smartest person I’ll ever know – a fighter until the end.”
– Adelita Grijalva, Pima County Supervisor and daughter of Representative Raúl Grijalva, on his passing.
“It’s a very aggressive, swing for the fences-sounding announcement, meant to send a political message, which is, we don’t care about climate change.”
— Jody Freeman, Harvard law professor, on EPA’s announcement that they are reconsidering the “endangerment finding,” an EPA declaration that greenhouse gases endanger human health and the environment.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown and a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America… We must fight back for a better way.”
— Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi on the GOP funding chaos leading up to the government funding deadline.
1,000 PEOPLE ATTEND “MARCH FOR OUR PUBLIC LANDS” IN MONTANA: Approximately 1,000 people joined local Democratic legislators in Missoula to protest the firing of thousands of U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service employees and show their support for upholding protections for the environment and public lands.
COALITION OF STATES HITS AMBITIOUS EV SALES GOAL: A coalition of 10 states (California, Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont) achieved their goal of putting a cumulative 3.3 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2025. The goal, set in 2013, has helped drive EV adoption across the country and is lowering emissions from transportation.
OVER A HUNDRED RALLY IN OPPOSITION TO STOP THE POWER GRAB OF UTAH’S DEMOCRACY: The 2025 Utah legislative session has seen unprecedented attempts to dismantle Utah’s democratic checks and balances, as well as impede voters’ voice in their own government. The Let Utah Vote Coalition held a rally for the public, hosted by Stewardship Utah, on Monday at the Utah State Capitol to demand Governor Cox veto any legislation that restricts vote-by-mail access, undermines judicial independence, and/or creates barriers to citizen-led ballot initiatives.
FIGHTING FOR HILLCREST: THE BATTLE AGAINST DESAL CONTINUES: Chispa Texas continues to stand with the Hillcrest community in the fight for environmental justice. Local leader Monna Lytle expressed deep disappointment in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s decision, calling out the commission for disregarding public interest and failing to address long-standing community concerns. Hillcrest residents have repeatedly challenged the City of Corpus Christi’s neglect, demanding basic services and protections that every community deserves.
EPA LAUNCHES MASSIVE ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL DEREGULATORY PUSH: On Wednesday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced 31 deregulatory actions from EPA that put our health and safety at risk while benefitting Big Oil and Gas and other polluters.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy and former EPA Health Scientist Matthew Davis said, “Our families deserve clean air and water, and corporate profits of the already wealthy shouldn’t be prioritized over the health of our communities. Don’t be fooled: when Lee Zeldin says he will ‘unleash American energy’ he means giving Big Oil and Gas free rein to pollute our communities and abandoning the EPA’s mission of protecting public health and the environment. He and President Trump are siding with Big Oil and the polluting coal industry rather than families across the country, eliminating clean energy choices and propping up fossil fuels that will pollute our air and water.
“It is extremely telling that the EPA’s announcement today barely mentions actually protecting the environment. These rollbacks will only increase families’ costs and suffering, diminish clean energy initiatives and result in job loss for thousands of workers across the country. While oil company executives increase their profits, hardworking families will have fewer choices and more toxic chemicals in our air and water. We deserve better.”
Alongside these actions, Zeldin also announced the dismantling of the EPA Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights and environmental justice programs in its 10 regional offices, and the cancellation of $20 billion in climate grants awarded under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, stemming from baseless concerns about the programs’ integrity.
TAKE 2: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy and former EPA Health Scientist Matthew Davis said, “Lee Zeldin is following through on Trump’s promises to Big Polluters and his wealthy friends and further harming the health and safety of communities facing the worst impacts of pollution and environmental injustice. It’s shameful to cut funds from projects that build the clean energy economy, lower costs, create good paying jobs, and make communities healthier. These communities include everyone living next to polluting factories, congested roadways, toxic waste dumps — low-income communities, communities of color, rural communities, elderly communities, people who have disabilities and increased health risks, and so many more. Trump and Musk’s cruel and harmful actions are taking resources from the communities who have suffered most to maximize the profits of the Big Polluters and other corporate interests who will continue to cause harm.”
And, Zeldin kicked off a lengthy rulemaking process that will likely result in further limiting protections for vital wetlands and waterways under the Clean Water Act.
TAKE 3: LCV Healthy Communities Program Director Madeleine Foote said, “Trump’s EPA is once again putting the profits of Big Polluters over the health and safety of our communities and environment. Through this rulemaking process, and in line with the Project 2025 agenda, EPA now is attempting to further gut our nation’s clean water safeguards. This attack comes on top of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that severely undermined the Clean Water Act. Combine this announcement with EPA Administrator Zeldin’s pledge to cut 65% of EPA’s budget and staff, along with Elon Musk’s cruel and disingenuous DOGE efforts to decimate our federal agencies and workforce, and we’re left with few protections for the vital wetlands and waters that protect us from flooding and provide clean drinking water for millions of people across the country.”
TRUMP WITHDRAWS U.S. FROM UN LOSS AND DAMAGES FUND: On Monday, President Trump formally pulled the U.S. out of the landmark UN Loss and Damages Fund. The fund, established in 2022, aims to direct funds from rich, heavily-polluting countries like the U.S. to poorer nations who often bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change, despite contributing very little to its causes.
CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF REPRESENTATIVE RAÚL GRIJALVA: Arizona Representative Raúl Grijalva died on Thursday morning. Congressman Grijalva was a fierce climate and social justice champion and will be remembered for his decades of tireless advocacy on behalf of historically excluded communities.
OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski said, “Representative Grijalva was a tireless leader who always championed environmental justice, advanced tribal sovereignty, safeguarded our sacred and precious public lands, protected clean air and water, and defended the health and safety of all communities — especially communities of color and communities with low wealth who have been historically excluded.
“His countless legislative achievements, including his support of the tribal-led campaign to designate the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni—Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, and his steadfast leadership transformed the Natural Resources Committee to be more intentional in addressing the impacts facing communities most impacted by the climate crisis and pollution. Grijalva’s legacy includes his critical work with the late Representative Donald McEachin to draft the groundbreaking Environmental Justice for All Act, an instrumental bill confronting the legacy of environmental racism that disproportionately impacts communities of color and low wealth. We are forever grateful for Representative Grijalva’s historic leadership.”
CHISPA AZ TAKE: Chispa Arizona Executive Director Vianey Olivarría said, “We are extremely saddened by the news of the passing of Congressman Raúl Grijalva. Our hearts are with his family, with the people of Arizona and with the American people as a whole who have lost a steadfast leader, an environmental champion and an amplifier of voices that were often silenced. Congressman Grijalva was a kind man and a leader who listened. He received social justice advocates in his offices with open arms and treated us with the familiarity of a grandpa…commending us for our efforts, giving us advice and encouraging our advocacy. This is a sad day. We have lost an elder but gained an ancestor. May he rest in power.”
SENATE PASSES BLANK CHECK CR FOR ELON MUSK AND DOGE: The Senate passed Republican’s highly partisan continuing resolution (CR) that advances interests like funding for the border wall and cuts to NOAA while granting even more power to President Trump and Elon Musk to carry out their harmful agenda.
OUR TAKE: Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “This bill is a blank check to President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE to continue their cruel and illegal actions. Republicans are cancelling town halls right and left because they don’t want to have to answer for these unconstitutional cuts to essential programs that threaten the air we breathe and the water we drink, and raise energy costs for hardworking families — all just to help billionaires and their polluter donors. Make no mistake, this funding bill means Trump and Musk will continue their attacks on the programs we all rely upon. We will be working to ensure the public understands the impacts to them and their communities, and who is responsible for this harm.”
LCV, Chispa, and others also responded to the CR passing the House earlier this week.
TAKE 2: LCV Senior Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “This Continuing Resolution is anything but ‘clean.’ Extreme funding cuts proposed by House Republicans would only continue the harm and chaos already started by Trump and Musk as people across the country lose jobs and critical services and protections. What’s worse, President Trump and Vice President Vance are promising Republicans they plan to ignore the law at the expense of communities to further cut programs that help families and protect our environment — all so they can justify bigger tax cuts for the wealthy. These cuts would mean dirtier air and water, fewer environmental protections, and job losses for hardworking families across the country. Instead of cutting programs that strengthen the economy, create jobs, and protect everyday people, Congress should pass a shorter, clean continuing resolution and quickly get to the business of fulfilling their Constitutional duty to pass funding bills that the executive branch must follow.”
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “This Continuing Resolution is not a real funding solution for our nation, and it will further harm our Latine and communities of color, overall, by proceeding with the Trump and Musk chaos and program cuts to essential services and protections that improve our lives. The extreme funding cuts and handing congressional power to Trump will only lead to increased job losses, rising energy costs, more pollution, and bad air in our neighborhoods, resulting in devastating health outcomes for our frontline families and communities. Cutting environmental protections and services while increasing funding for inhumane immigration enforcement and militarization of our communities places a target on our backs from our government. Instead of sloppily moving heaven and earth to cut essential services to justify tax breaks to the wealthy, Congress must focus on their job of passing funding bills thoughtfully that strengthen our economy, create jobs, and protect all the people.” This statement is also available in Spanish.
COALITION TAKE: LCV and Public Citizen also led a coalition letter with more than 90 signatories urging members of Congress to oppose Republicans’ CR. From the letter, “Instead of a bipartisan government funding bill that adequately services the needs of everyday people, this CR poses grave threats to us all. By gutting billions of dollars in critically-needed human needs benefits, health care, affordable housing, clean water and more, this CR will be devastating to many, including veterans, people with disabilities, families, and seniors.
Further, this CR does nothing to address this administration’s actions, particularly those led by Elon Musk’s DOGE, that ignore Congressional directives on how to spend appropriated funds and slash and dismantle the federal government in ways that hurt everyday people while benefiting corporations and the wealthiest.”
SENATOR SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: Climate champion Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced she would retire from the U.S. Senate at the end of her term.
OUR TAKE: Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s longtime and tireless leadership has been critical in the fight to build a clean energy economy that creates jobs and lowers costs for communities in New Hampshire and across the country. From her time as governor to her service as the Granite State’s senior senator, Senator Shaheen has been at the forefront of reducing climate pollution from the fossil fuel industry, helping consumers save money through greater energy efficiency, and to conserve New Hampshire’s natural resources and clean water. We applaud her incredible time in public service, which has helped protect our public lands and ensure our communities and future generations have cleaner air and water.”
NH TAKE: New Hampshire State Director of the League of Conservation Voters Rob Werner said, “Senator Shaheen has long been a strong champion for protecting New Hampshire’s environment, from protecting the Great Bay to leading the fight to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Her legacy as a climate action leader has helped protect our clean air and water, our public lands, and communities across the Granite State and the country.”
ON THE BLOG: On this, the first government funding deadline of 2025, we bring you a new article on The Power Source Blog breaking down all the confusing budget and appropriations terms you need to know to understand the chaos on Capitol Hill.
ON OUR SOCIALS: After this week’s funding rollercoaster, we’re not in the mood for embellishments, so we’ll give it to you straight. The endangerment finding is in danger, we’re bringing you yet another government shutdown explainer, and covering the all out assault on environmental protections. Get in losers, it’s going to be a long night.
MIDNIGHT: Government funding runs out.
MARCH 17-21: Congress out on recess.
MARCH 20: First day of spring!
©2025 League of Conservation Voters