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 climate and democracy wins, budget reconciliation, and continued climate attacks from the Trump administration.
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“This bill gives rich companies a green light to pay off the government and avoid any accountability for keeping our environment safe.”
— Representative Maxine Dexter (OR-03) on House Natural Resource Republicans’ reconciliation bill.
“This is a real catastrophe in the making.”
— Representative Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) on the impact of Trump’s cuts to environmental programs in the first 100 days of his administration.
“Hitching your wagon to a president with the lowest 100 day approval rating in 70 years is not just morally indefensible, it’s politically reckless. Your constituents are watching, and so is history.”
— Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-12) addressing Republicans on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.
CONNECTICUT NET ZERO BILL ADVANCES IN THE LEGISLATURE: The Connecticut House passed a bill that would require the state to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. If enacted, the legislation would establish a Clean Economy Council charged with developing strategies to meet the new emissions targets, and create incentives for clean energy and energy efficiency. The bill is similar to one that failed last year, but advocates are optimistic about its chances this session as it moves to the state Senate.
CTLCV TAKE: Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Lori Brown said, “Passing HB 5004 is a positive move forward as we work to address climate change. It is part of a larger legislative effort to put Connecticut back on track to meet our climate goals. We thank Rep. John Michael Parker for his leadership in moving this legislation forward and hope to see continued communication and collaboration between the Environment and Energy Committees, and the House and Senate to pass a strong set of climate and resilience bills this year.”
NEW JERSEY EXPANDS ACCESS TO COMMUNITY SOLAR: The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved an additional 250 megawatts (MW) of generation for community solar projects. This builds upon the state’s successful Community Solar Energy Program that currently serves over 28,000 customers and has already supported more than 500 MW of clean and renewable solar energy. Program subscribers receive guaranteed savings on their energy bills and 51% of the energy generated is reserved for low- to moderate-income customers.
NEW JERSEY LCV TAKE: New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Deputy Director Allison McLeod said, “We applaud Governor Murphy and his administration for taking a concrete step to tackle high energy prices by expanding access to a program that creates local jobs while fighting climate change. Community solar represents a win for the environment, a win for the businesses who benefit from hosting solar projects, a win for workers and, most important, a win for working families who will see their monthly energy bills dramatically decrease as they plug into clean, renewable energy.”
SC UTILITY PROTECTS RATEPAYERS FROM RISING BILLS DUE TO DATA CENTER ENERGY USAGE: Santee Cooper, South Carolina’s state-owned electric utility, implemented new experimental rates for large energy users – primarily data centers – to ensure that other customers don’t have to bear the costs of the extreme energy demand of these companies. As data centers continue to drive larger energy demand, utilities and decision makers must ensure that costs aren’t passed on to other customers.
NEVADA HOLDS HEARINGS FOR KEY HEAT & HOUSING JUSTICE BILLS: Two of Chispa Nevada’s top priority bills — AB 96 (heat mitigation planning) and AB 458 (solar-powered affordable housing) — recently had key hearings in Carson City and Las Vegas. Chispa Nevada Program Director Audrey Peral and dedicated members showed up to testify in support, uplifting the urgent need for sustainable, community-driven solutions that protect our health, housing, and environment.
PROTECTING SACRED LAND AT OAK FLAT: Chispa Arizona joined a prayer vigil to defend Oak Flat, sacred Apache land that is currently under threat of being handed over to a foreign mining company. Chispa AZ members stood alongside Indigenous leaders and community members to denounce extractive practices that threaten land, water, and culture in the name of corporate profit.
CONSERVATION COLORADO UPLIFTS YOUTH POWER AT CLIMATE SUMMIT: Conservation Colorado attended the Colorado Youth Climate Summit earlier this month to share their free “Building a Sustainable Movement” toolkit. The toolkit provides young activists with resources to help them process the emotional weight of climate change while staying grounded in joy and community.
ADVOCATES RALLY TO END POLLUTER AND BILLIONAIRE HANDOUTS IN RECONCILIATION BILL: As members of Congress worked to mark up their reconciliation bills, LCV and other environmental advocates spoke to members of the House about fighting back against Republicans’ attempts to pass massive cuts to essential programs in order to provide handouts to billionaires and polluters. We will be rallying at the Capitol for the next two Wednesdays from 4-6pm. Register to attend the upcoming rallies here, and read more about the fossil fuel handouts including in the bill in this memo. And, stay up to date with the latest reconciliation developments on LCV’s live blog.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “At a time when Big Oil is raking in immense profits, Republicans in Congress are trying to give them even more handouts, while using those handouts to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. In the same breath, they’re doubling down on gutting Medicaid, slashing public education, and wrecking our chances at a safer, cleaner energy future to further line the pockets of wealthy polluters. Not only will Big Oil CEOs benefit from Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy, they will also reap the profit rewards of rock-bottom royalty rates, non-competitive leasing, and weakened environmental protections. They’ll get to cut their taxes and cut corners — at the expense of our communities and our climate.”
CHISPA HOSTS WEBINAR ON FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS: Chispa LCV hosted a bilingual panel with Representative Veronica Escobar and environmental leaders from Chispa National, Chispa Texas, Chispa Nevada, Chispa Maryland, and Climate Power en Acción discussing the impacts of the federal funding cuts on Latine communities. View the full webinar and slides for more!
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-Gonzalez said, “Our Latine communities are feeling multiple threats from rolling back the environmental progress we have made toward clean air, clean water, clean energy, and lower costs of living. And even though they are gutting the most essential clean air and clean water protections for everyone, which are critical to life itself, Latino and communities of color will feel it the most. We want our community to know we can organize and build power to continue to push against these rollbacks, and our communities living with the impacts in their own neighborhoods are in the best position to do so.”
CHISPA NV TAKE: Chispa Nevada Program Director Audrey Peral said, “We hear from many community members that they are deeply concerned about higher costs. Here in Nevada, utility bills have been going up and up over the last couple of years. We hear from many families who are having to make tough decisions. ‘What can I pawn off this month so I can pay the basic utilities?’ These are choices no family should have to make. But we have no other option. Because of climate change, Nevada has two of the fastest-warming cities in the country, so our summers are getting longer and extremely, dangerously hot. This makes air conditioning a necessity to survive, not a luxury. We can’t afford higher prices. Our community is organizing to fight back and defend the programs that save us money and reduce pollution.”
ESCOBAR TAKE: Representative Veronica Escobar said, “The administration has begun to unilaterally undo decades of safeguards that protect our air, water, and public lands. They’ve worked to stop the transition to clean energy sources, kneecap the EPA, and lawlessly canceled billions in federal investments meant to help communities prepare for extreme weather events, reduce pollution, create jobs, lower costs, and slash climate pollution in half by 2030. Pushing back against these policies requires all of us.”
ALLIANCE FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES HOSTS NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION: The Alliance for Electric School Buses, a national coalition convened by Chispa, hosted a national day of action to protect funding for electric school buses. The national day of action, which took place on World Asthma Day, brought together parents, students, and voters from 17 states to deliver more than 1,100 postcards with handwritten notes and 2,000 digital postcards to over 30 Congressional offices. Sign the petition to tell Congress to protect electric school bus funding.
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa National Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-Gonzalez said, “Nearly half of the U.S. population lives with unhealthy levels of air pollution, the latest American Lung Association report shows, and a growing proportion of the population is exposed to ozone and particle pollution that puts their health at risk. This is really bad news for our Latine children who are already disproportionately affected by asthma. Our children deserve to breathe clean air, and that’s what federal programs for clean school buses have helped deliver for our families. By reducing kids’ exposure to diesel school buses, we are helping to prevent more children from developing asthma, having an asthma attack, or being hospitalized because of lung illnesses. We need Congress to protect this funding and protect our children’s health now.”
CHISPA MD TAKE: Chispa Maryland community organizer Eliseo Magos said, “Clean school bus programs have been very popular with school districts, with over 2,500 school districts nationwide choosing to apply for the program, including here in Maryland. Our families and our schools want this funding to modernize their fleets and provide a clean ride for their students. Cutting these programs would not only hurt public health, it would also hurt Maryland schools that want to bring the funding and bus improvements to our kids and our communities.”
ARCTIC REFUGE PROTECTION ACT REINTRODUCED TO CONGRESS: House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Senator Ed Markey (MA) reintroduced a bill to end new oil and gas development and restore critical protections to America’s Arctic.
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCE COMMITTEE HOLDS RECONCILIATION MARKUP: The House Natural Resource Committee held a marathon markup on their terrible reconciliation bill this week. One of the worst pieces of environmental legislation in history, this bill puts polluter interests over the health and safety of our communities and public lands.
OUR TAKE: LCV Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick said, “House Natural Resources Committee Republicans are putting polluters over people by passing one of the worst environmental bills in history and selling off over half a million acres of our public lands to Big Polluters and corporate interests. We appreciate Ranking Member Huffman and the many Democratic members of the committee for fighting for our lands, water, and to hold Big Polluters accountable, and are deeply disappointed Representative Gray supported a bill that would sell out our communities and our public lands to billionaires and Big Oil.
“In stark contrast, Representatives Vasquez and Zinke launched their Public Lands Caucus today, underscoring how our public lands unite all of us across the country. Proposals to sell-off public lands are unpopular with the public and have no place in the budget reconciliation process, and we look forward to working with the bipartisan caucus to ensure we stop the sell-off and protect our lands and waters for generations to come.”
EPA PLANS TO END ENERGY STAR HOME APPLIANCE PROGRAM: As part of the Trump administration’s attacks on appliance efficiency standards, EPA is planning to end the Energy Star program, which certifies the energy efficiency of home appliances. The program, which has bipartisan support in Congress, has helped lower consumers’ energy costs for over 30 years.
ON THE BLOG: Dive into the reconciliation deep end with us on The Power Source blog with a new article about what’s at stake in the reconciliation process, as well as live updates from committee markups.
ON OUR SOCIALS: We are fighting to protect public lands, sharing what’s at stake this Supreme Court season, uplifting climate champs, and more on our socials this week.
MAY 11: Mother’s Day.
MAY 14: 4-6pm Rally at the Capitol: Stop Clean Energy Bans and Polluter Giveaways! Register here.
MAY 21: 4-6pm Rally at the Capitol: Stop Clean Energy Bans and Polluter Giveaways! Register here.
JUNE 14: No Kings Mass Mobilization.
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