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THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE ACTION – November 4, 2022
Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
“We will heal what ails us, we will restore our democracy, we will build a country that is more fair, and more just, and more equal, and more free. That is what voting is: it’s a letter to our children. I want my letter to say that I stood up in this defining moment in America for the best in the American spirit.”
— Reverend Raphael Warnock speaking at a rally in Georgia.
“We deserve to have clean water, we deserve to have clean air. We deserve to enjoy our every day life. I just want to see changes, I want to see more people taking a stand. This is a way you can have your voice heard.”
— A community member speaks out in the Redford Center’s short film, “ Power the Vote.
“When you look at what we cover in local news, I think what you see is that climate is in everything, and it cannot be covered any longer as a siloed beat. We need to be able to tell that kind of integrated [story] that connects the dots between climate change and the local effects that we see.”
— Frank Mungeam, who manages the Local Media Association’s Covering Climate Collaborative, in a recent article titled “Everyone Is a Climate Reporter Now” that highlights why journalism schools need to incorporate climate science reporting into their standard curricula.
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MEMO: LCV ACTION FUND 2022 PRE-ELECTION FINAL UPDATE: LCVAF is rounding out this election cycle with 181 endorsed federal candidates, many of whom will make history if elected. We have mobilized 8,000 LCV members to engage hundreds of thousands of voters across the country through the 2022 GreenRoots program, one of the largest coordinated field programs in progressive politics. For more highlights, including photos of LCV organizers and volunteers with federal candidates, click here.
MEMO: LCV VICTORY FUND’S OUR $100 MILLION INVESTMENT: LCV Victory Fund also released their pre-election memo today, summarizing LCV Victory Fund and affiliated entities’ $100 million investment to boost turnout in the midterms among voters who care deeply about climate change and the environment. As GOTV weekend begins, climate champions are facing many headwinds – from historic midterm trends, to high inflation, to racist voting restrictions, to massive opposition spending from the fossil fuel industry. We’ve run our biggest midterm campaign in the organization’s history in order to protect the progress we’ve made and build a more just, equitable clean energy future and we’ll be running through the tape in the final four days. Get all of the details about the program LCVVF ran across battleground states and districts in 2021-2022 here.
MORE LCV ACTION FUND ENDORSEMENTS: LCV Action Fund, which works to elect pro-environment candidates, announced the endorsement of Chuck Schumer (NY-SEN), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16).
OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Thanks to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer the U.S. Senate passed the biggest investment in climate action, clean energy and environmental justice ever. Senator Schumer’s leadership was essential to this historic victory and because of his tireless efforts, we finally have the chance to reduce our climate emissions and cut toxic pollution at the scale and pace that science and justice demand. The entire world is grateful that Senator Schumer never gave up on getting the Inflation Reduction Act passed, and LCV looks forward to continuing our work together in the Senate to implement the IRA and build on this transformational progress.”
OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Jonathan Jackson understands that the climate crisis impacts the health of communities, and disproportionately impacts historically marginalized communities. Jackson will fight for a clean energy economy that protects workers’ rights and creates good-paying jobs. We are excited to support Jackson’s campaign and we look forward to working with him to create a resilient climate for all communities.”
OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Representative Jamaal Bowman has been a leader in the fight for environmental justice and a safe democracy, and he knows that transitioning to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2030 is crucial to boldly and swiftly addressing the climate crisis. Representative Bowman has earned an impressive 100% on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. He supports holding polluters accountable and investing in communities in a way that prioritizes environmental justice and a just energy transition for all, which is why we are proud to endorse him for re-election.”
LCV STATEMENT ON BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS ON BIG OIL PRICE GOUGING, NEW OFFSHORE WIND LEASE AREAS: This week LCV responded to President Biden’s press conference calling out oil and gas companies for price gouging consumers and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)’s announcement of two new offshore wind energy areas in the Gulf of Mexico off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.
OUR TAKE: Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “We’re glad that President Biden didn’t mince words today – it is past time for Big Oil to pay the price for war profiteering. It is abhorrent for the oil and gas industry to enjoy the greatest windfall in history, raking in outsize, immoral profits while our communities and families struggle to pay high gas prices. At the same time, we’re encouraged by the Biden-Harris administration’s continued expansion of affordable clean energy. The two new wind energy areas announced in the Gulf of Mexico today have the potential to provide clean energy to nearly 3 million homes while creating good-paying union jobs, lowering household energy costs, and tackling the climate crisis. Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership, our country is taking action to hold Big Oil accountable while building an affordable clean energy future that works for everyone.”
STORIES FROM THE FIELD: “IT’S GOOD TO SHAKE IT UP A LITTLE”: This week, we are sharing the story of Jeremy K., an LCV member volunteering with LCV’s 2022 GreenRoots program. A longtime political activist, this election cycle Jeremy is volunteering in support of Yadira Caraveo’s campaign to represent Colorado’s 8th District in Congress.
GREENROOTS VOLUNTEER TAKE: LCV 2022 GreenRoots volunteer said, “As a 66 year old man, it’s been a really great opportunity for me to form some relationships with some young people. Some of the other volunteers and the three organizers in the office are just really great, smart, interesting, creative, committed individuals, and I never would have met anyone like that if I wasn’t doing what I’m doing. It’s good to shake it up a little, get out of your usual cocoon, and meet some other people. It’s a really great experience.”
MEMO: WEEKLY LCV VICTORY FUND WEEKLY UPDATE – 11/1/2022: This week, LCVAF’s organizing teams made their final GOTV push, with over 400,000 doors knocked in just the last week. Democrats like Maggie Hassan, John Fetterman, and Catherine Cortez Masto, and Former President Obama highlighted this year’s accomplishments on climate change and how big oil companies are continuing to reap record profits while managing to avoid accountability thanks to their allies in Congress. They also made clear that Big Oil, not consumers, should be the ones paying the price. For more updates, including on paid media, click here.
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT FUNDS CLEANER AIR FOR COMMUNITIES: Yesterday, the EPA awarded grants for projects to monitor air quality in 37 states, with a focus on communities of color and other communities overburdened by pollution. The $53.4 million commitment is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
OUR TAKE: In response, LCV tweeted: “Cleaner air is better for all of us, but especially for low-income communities and communities of color who suffer disproportionately from dirty air. Thank you, POTUS, VP and EPAMichaelRegan for delivering for the planet and people!”
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:
HONORING COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS: For Dia de los Muertos, Chispa Texas and community celebrated and honored their ancestors at their local community park. Click here to watch a video from the event.
COMING UP:
MONTH OF NOVEMBER: Native American Heritage Month
NOVEMBER 8: Election Day!
NOVEMBER 9: Post-election press conference at 1:00 p.m. ET – RSVP here