LCV is fighting every day to create a brighter, safer, healthier future for people and the planet.
LCV is fighting every day to create a brighter, safer, healthier future for people and the planet.
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 looking at what comes next after Election Day as communities push back against unchecked data center development and rising energy costs, and the Trump administration continues to threaten our public lands.
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“We have a real opportunity here to put climate solutions into frames that touch people’s lives.”
— Sara Chieffo, LCV senior vice president of government affairs, on how winning midterm candidates helped voters connect climate issues to the affordability crisis.
“One single data center facility can use as much power as an entire city, and they can also take hundreds of millions of gallons of water each year to cool.”
– Erin Siebert, Conservation Voters of South Carolina energy policy manager, on why state lawmakers should establish protections for communities as data center development expands.
“This is a repudiation of Trump’s energy policy… the fossil fuel–only approach, as opposed to really building out the clean energy that you need to help stabilize energy prices.”
– Julie Tighe, New York LCV president, on how voters rejected Trump’s energy policy.
CONSERVATION VOTERS MOVEMENT TO SUPPORT INCOMING PRO-CLIMATE GOVERNORS: Newly elected governors in Colorado, Maine, Nevada, and New Mexico selected leadership staff from LCV’s state affiliates to serve on their transition teams and help shape the incoming administrations’ priorities and policies. Those selected to serve on their state’s transition teams include Conservation Colorado CEO Kelly Nordini, Maine Conservation Voters Executive Director Maureen Drouin, Nevada Conservation League Deputy Director Angelyn Tabalba, and Conservation Voters New Mexico President and CEO Demis Foster
VIRGINIA CONSERVATION GROUPS CALL FOR PAUSE ON NEW DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION: A coalition of 14 environmental organizations, including Virginia LCV, is calling for a moratorium on new data center construction until stronger protections are in place for communities, energy costs, air quality, and water use. The “Pause to Protect” policy platform urges lawmakers to adopt enforceable standards during the 2027 legislative session.
VALCV TAKE: Virginia LCV Director of Advocacy & Campaigns Blair St. Ledger-Olson said, “After years of unchecked development, data centers are impacting every corner of the Commonwealth—driving up our energy bills, polluting communities, and impacting quality of life. Enough is enough—we need to pause data center approvals now, until we have the protections in place that hold Big Tech accountable and put Virginians first.”
BOISE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES SIX-MONTH MORATORIUM ON LARGE DATA CENTERS: The Boise City Council unanimously approved a six-month pause on new large data center construction, giving officials time to study impacts on water, energy use, wastewater, noise, and public safety.
CVI TAKE: Conservation Voters for Idaho Executive Director Ryan McGoldrick said, “For CVI, our three pillars that we focus on are public lands, clean energy and civic engagement, and really right now it feels like data centers hit all three of those. We need to hit a short-term pause, and just take a comprehensive look at: What does this mean for water? What does it look like for land use, energy use, noise?”
OIL AND GAS COMPANIES MAKE OVER $100 BILLION IN Q3 PROFITS AS FAMILIES PAY THE PRICE: A Climate Power analysis found that 27 oil and gas companies made over $100 billion in profits in the third quarter of 2026, a 155% increase from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Americans have spent an extra $157 billion – an average of $1,330 per family – on gas since Trump launched his war with Iran, as the administration continues to cancel clean energy projects that can expand affordable energy options.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION (STILL!) TRYING TO SELL OFF PUBLIC LANDS: The Interior Department’s new five-year strategic plan calls for selling federal public lands to states, tribes, and local governments as part of an effort to “shrink the federal estate.” The proposal threatens public ownership of and access to millions of acres of land, opening the door to private interests and development.
MCV TAKE: Montana Conservation Voters said, “Secretary Doug Burgum just released the U.S. Department of the Interior’s four-year strategic plan. Buried within glossy photos and empty promises for increased collaboration and new recreational opportunities on public lands is a belligerent push to sell off federal public lands under the guise of land ‘transfers,’ ‘exchanges,’ and state buyouts. Why would federal officials try this again? To open tens of thousands, if not millions, of acres to oil and mineral extraction that all paves the way, of course, for more data centers. It’s not a plan to manage our public lands. It’s a plan to cash them out.”
SCOTUS ALLOWS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RESUME BIG BEND BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION: The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can continue its plans to construct hundreds of miles of border barrier and security infrastructure near Big Bend National Park in west Texas, despite bipartisan opposition. Residents and conservation groups warn that construction could damage public lands, wildlife habitats, and Indigenous sites.
OUR TAKE: LCV said, “The far-right Supreme Court just gave Trump the go-ahead to continue ripping up Texas’ Big Bend to build his border wall. The ruling states that ‘the government’s interest outweighs any aesthetic, recreational and environmental harm.’ Absolutely shameful. Keep your hands off of our public lands.”
CALIFORNIA VOTERS REJECT MEASURES TO ROLL BACK ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS, RESTRICT VOTING ACCESS: California voters rejected an attempt (Prop 45) by business groups to roll back elements of the California Environmental Quality Act, the state’s landmark environmental review law. This decision will keep protections in place that help communities fight polluting projects and protect clean air and water. They also rejected a ballot measure (Prop 39) that would have made voting more difficult and expensive. The measure would have placed additional burdens on voting and vote-by-mail that particularly impact young voters and voters of color. This outcome keeps California’s current signature-based system and blocks this attempt to add new barriers to voting.
ENVIROVOTERS TAKE: California Environmental Voters Executive Director Mike Young said, “When we vote, seismic change happens. Voters across the country are rejecting Trump’s corruption and attacks on our health and economy. And in California, voters overwhelmingly rejected Props 39 and 45, Californians have made clear that our democracy, our health, and the environment can’t be bought.”
MONTANA VOTERS PROTECT BALLOT ACCESS AND NONPARTISAN JUDICIAL ELECTIONS: Montana Voters approved two state constitutional initiatives protecting direct democracy and judicial independence. The Rights to Ballot Initiatives (Cl-133) makes it easier for residents to get citizen-led measures on the ballot, while the Nonpartisan Judiciary Initiative enshrines nonpartisan judicial elections.
ENERGY COSTS SHAPED THE MIDTERMS, INCLUDING MAJOR GAINS WITH LATINO VOTERS, NEW POLL FINDS: New exit polling from Climate Power, EDF Action, LCV, and NRDC Action Fund, conducted with voters across 62 competitive congressional districts, found that rising gas and utility costs were a top issue for voters. Nearly 64% said Trump made energy prices worse, while 58% want U.S. energy policies to move in a different direction, with renewable energy investment the most popular change. A separate poll of Latino voters in those districts found that 80% saw their household utility costs rise over the past year, and 68% blamed Trump and Republicans’ push for fossil fuels over clean energy for increasing energy costs.
COALITION TAKE: LCV, Climate Power, EDF Action, and NRDC Action Fund said, “Americans want change, specifically access to more affordable, clean energy. Voters are ready to move on from Trump and Republicans’ corrupt, polluting, expensive energy agenda and have given Democrats a chance to show they are serious about energy affordability.”
LCV RELEASES STATEMENT ON THE BIPARTISAN AMERICAN AFFORDABILITY AND JOBS ACT OF 2026: LCV issued a statement in response to the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA).
OUR TAKE: LCV President Pete Maysmith said, “Last week’s elections sent a strong message: Trump’s energy policies failed. They were an economic disaster for voters and a political disaster for Republicans up and down the ballot.
“Voters made it clear that they want lower prices and they want their elected leaders to stand up to data center developers, oil and gas companies, and monopoly utilities who are making record profits while we are stuck paying higher bills.
“LCV strongly believes that we need to enact policies that accelerate the deployment of more affordable clean energy, invest in a modern reliable grid, and address voters’ concerns about data centers.
“We commend Ranking Members Whitehouse and Heinrich for the significant progress they made in the Bipartisan American Affordability & Jobs Act (BAAJA) on critical transmission, interconnection, and grid reform policies that should accelerate the deployment of clean energy and eventually help bring down costs. However, this complex legislation as currently drafted poses substantial risks to our air, water, lands, wildlife, frontline communities, and Tribes. BAAJA is potentially generational legislation and we call on legislators to act urgently to find a better balance that meets this new political moment whether that can be done this Congress or next.”
ON THE BLOG: What did we learn from the 2026 midterms? This week on The Power Source, we’re breaking down the Energy Election: how Energy Bill Voters helped shaped the election, why Trump’s energy agenda became an economic and political liability, and what the results mean for the fight for affordable clean energy, climate action, and democracy. We’re also celebrating the LCV members and supporters who helped make these wins possible — because the work doesn’t end on Election Day.
ON OUR SOCIALS: The Blue-nami is here! We’re celebrating the new Democratic majority in Congress and other wins from this Energy Election, highlighting how climate and energy costs played a major role in this blue wave. We’re also tracking the latest threats to public lands, including the Supreme Court’s Big Bend border wall decision. Plus, we’re sharing the latest Good Climate News to keep that positive post-election energy going.
NOVEMBER 26: Thanksgiving.
DECEMBER 16: Comment period closes for EPA’s proposal to gut standards for methane pollution from the oil and gas industry.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters