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, Instagram, and TikTok.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“On the campaign, I would often say: When we fight, we win. Sometimes the fight takes a while, but that doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is to never stop trying to make the world a better place.”

— Kamala Harris in her concession speech after Trump won the 2024 presidential election.

“They’re going to try to block the progress we’ve made at the federal level and block the progress we’ve made in the states as well. It’s our job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

— Gene Karpinski, LCV President, in response to Trump’s election victory and Republicans winning the Senate.

“Last night, Washingtonians sent an unequivocal message that they want action on pollution and climate change.”

— Governor Jay Inslee on the resounding defeat of Initiative 2117, which would have rolled back Washington’s historic climate progress.

“Your voice matters, even and especially when they would prefer your silence. We can and must stand up for climate and environmental justice, and together, we can emerge stronger to win critical advances in the months and years ahead.”

– Elly Kosova, LCV government affairs advocate, conservation-energy, in Teen Vogue’s article about how to keep fighting for climate progress under the Trump administration

FEDERAL ELECTION NEWS: 

DESPITE DISAPPOINTING 2024 ELECTION RESULTS, FIGHT FOR CLIMATE AND DEMOCRACY CONTINUES:

There are no two ways about it – this week’s elections were disappointing. The economic and cultural factors motivating voters in the presidential election were simply too big to overcome. However, we are proud of LCV Victory Fund and LCV Action Fund’s work this election cycle, and we helped elect many climate and democracy champions up and down the ballot.

Despite Trump’s victory, climate candidates in Michigan and Wisconsin won extremely tight Senate races in battleground states, and the same appears likely in Arizona and Nevada. The state of Washington strongly rejected an effort to roll back ambitious climate plans, and dozens of new climate champions are heading to Congress and state houses next year. These are just some of the silver linings.

Clean energy remains popular, and, as we have done before, we will block Trump’s extreme policies and appointments while we turn to the states to advance progress. The fight for climate and democracy continues.

CLIMATE COMMUNITY’S TAKE: Yesterday, LCV, Climate Power, EDF Action, NRDC Action Fund, NextGen America, and Sierra Club Political Committee hosted a virtual post-election press conference where leaders from the organizations outlined the outcome of the election and what comes next. Watch a video of the conference.

OUR TAKE: LCV President Gene Karpinski said, “The outcome of the election is deeply disappointing, but the clean energy economy is here to stay. Trump’s attacks on clean energy and his plans to enact Project 2025’s dangerous agenda are extremely unpopular. We applaud all the climate champions who ran this year and are grateful to everyone who worked so hard.

We are fiercely committed to defending people and the planet and we know how to fight back against what is coming. After 2016 we focused on making progress in the states and blocking Trump’s most extreme policies and appointments. States are even more powerful now and can continue to make progress while also pushing back on Trump. We will fight against the extreme MAGA Republicans’ agenda to not only gut the Inflation Reduction Act, protections for our clean air, clean water, and our public lands, but also our voting rights, our reproductive rights, immigrant rights, and our democracy itself. These attacks are bad policy and bad politics, and we will fight like hell to stop them at the federal level while continuing to advance progress at the state and local level.

We are already looking ahead to electing climate and democracy champions in 2025, 2026, and beyond.”

CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “We are disappointed by the outcome of the presidential election, yet we will persist and continue to fight for our comunidades. Under the new Trump administration, Chispa will continue to work nationally and with our frontline communities in Chispa states to safeguard environmental protections and fight for a better climate for our communities and our children.

We all deserve clean air, water, and communities. We will not stop organizing for a better and cleaner future and will work to protect all our families, neighborhoods, and the climate progress already made in the most impacted communities.”

CHISPA AZ TAKE: On Instagram, Chispa AZ said, “Yesterday we breathed and spent time in community. Today we reflect. Yesterday was hard, today is hard. As we sit with our feelings about the federal election results, with the fears and the what ifs, we’d like to offer this: The powers that be want us to exist in crisis and disregulation. They thrive when we run from fire to fire without time to rest, without time to breathe, let alone time to create a vision for ourselves as a collective.” Read their full statement here

PRO-CLIMATE CANDIDATES WIN ELECTIONS NATIONWIDE: Pro-climate, pro-democracy candidates emerged victorious in races across the country. LCV Action Fund endorsed candidates won elections in the following states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virgina, Washington, and Wisconsin.

LCV congratulates these candidates on their wins. We look forward to working together in the 119th Congress and beyond to continue making progress on addressing the climate crisis and protecting our democracy.

STATE ELECTION NEWS:

CALIFORNIA VOTERS APPROVE PROP 4, AUTHORIZING A $10 BILLION CLIMATE BOND: California voters passed Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond, which addresses the impacts of climate change. The bond will fund projects in water conservation, wildfire resilience, coastal protection, and renewable energy, with at least 40% allocated to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

CEV TAKE: California Environmental Voters Senior Political and Organizing Director Mike Young said, “Californians have made it clear that they’re eager for the urgent, transformative action needed to address the climate crisis.”

WASHINGTON VOTERS REJECT INITIATIVE 2117, UPHOLDING STATE CARBON MARKET: 62% of Washington voters rejected Initiative 2117 to dismantle the state’s carbon market, established under the 2021 Climate Commitment Act. The carbon market has generated over $2.15 billion for green projects, such as electric vehicle rebates, air quality initiatives, and clean energy infrastructure. This initiative had been nominated by Washington Conservation Action Votes to this year’s LCV Victory Fund Dirty Dozen in the States.

WCA TAKE: Washington Conservation Action CEO and Citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon Alyssa Macy said, “For more than a decade, the people of Washington have demanded that we reduce the dangerous pollution that is killing our children and communities. Passing the Climate Commitment Act benefits everyone. Initiative 2117, put on the ballot by Republican Jim Walsh and his out-of-state multimillionaire donors like Brian Heywood, deceptively tried to convince voters to repeal our state’s pollution reduction law, slash billions from our state budgets, and put our communities in harm’s way. We’ve been fighting against this initiative for more than a year and it is our organizing across the state that has resulted in a resounding victory for climate progress. Voters have spoken — now we can continue building a healthier, safer, greener, Washington state for all!”

NEW PRO-ENVIRONMENT STATEWIDE LEADERS WIN ACROSS THE BOARD IN WASHINGTON: By wide margins, Washington voters elected pro-environmental leaders for every major statewide position. Attorney General Bob Ferguson was elected as the state’s new governor, following Governor Jay Inslee’s long record as one of the greenest governors in the country. Nick Brown was elected as the state’s new attorney general and the first Black man to hold the position. Finally, Dave Upthegrove will be the state’s new public lands commissioner, defeating Jaime Herrera Beutler, who was nominated to the LCV Victory Fund 2024 Dirty Dozen in the States. All three candidates have made commitments to take on polluters, protect the state’s lands and waters, and were endorsed by Washington Conservation Action.

JUSTICES KYRA BOLDEN AND KIMBERLY THOMAS WIN SEATS ON MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT: Both receiving over 60% of the vote and endorsed by Michigan LCV, incumbent Justice Krya Harris Bolden held onto her seat while Kimberly Thomas beat state Representative Andrew Fink to join the Michigan Supreme Court. Thomas will replace retiring Justice David Viviano, growing the 4-3 pro-environmental majority to 5-2, which will help uphold major environmental legislation.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION JOSH STEIN ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA AND JEFF JACKSON ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL: The North Carolina League of Conservation Voters celebrated its largest electoral campaign to protect North Carolinians and their environment. NCLCV, through its independent expenditure PAC, the Conservation Votes PAC (CVP), spent nearly $3.3 million to elect Josh Stein as governor. Additionally, NCLCV’s coordinated PAC, Conservation PAC, endorsed many successful candidates, including Jeff Jackson, who will be the state’s next attorney general.

NCLCV TAKE: NCLCV Director of Governmental Relations Dan Crawford said, “North Carolinians overwhelmingly elected Josh Stein as Governor. Josh Stein has been the greenest Attorney General in our state’s history. We look forward to working with him to ensure all North Carolinians have access to clean air, clean water, and are included in the just transition to clean energy.”

PENNSYLVANIA HELD A PRO-ENVIRONMENT MAJORITY IN THE STATE HOUSE: Pro-environment lawmakers retained control of the state House, maintaining their one-seat majority in the face of strong challenges. The majority will allow Pennsylvania’s state legislature to continue to play a major role in the fight against climate change and protecting the state’s clean air, water, and open spaces. Notable victories included protecting Representatives Brian Munroe in Bucks County, Jim Haddock in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, and Mandy Steele in Allegheny County.

CVPA TAKE: Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania Executive Director Molly Parzen said, “In the past two years alone, we have seen a pro-environment House advance significant environmental priorities, including Solar for Schools legislation and increased funding to plug abandoned oil and gas wells. With this new session, we’re excited to build on these accomplishments with our environmental champions in both chambers.

OHIO VOTERS APPROVE ISSUE 47, A SALES TAX LEVY FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT AND INFRASTRUCTURE: The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund celebrated the successful approval of Issue 47, the LinkUS transit initiative, which is a major victory for sustainable transportation in Central Ohio. With community support, LinkUS will expand sidewalks, greenways, and Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) services across the region.

OECAF TAKE: OEC Action Fund President Carol Kauffman said, “Central Ohioans deserve to live in a healthy, thriving community that is safe and accessible. And thanks to Central Ohio voters decisively passing Issue 47, we are one step closer to that goal. LinkUS will reduce transportation pollution and help our region fight climate change. By expanding access to reliable public transportation, sidewalks, bike paths, and greenways, we can ensure a cleaner, healthier community where we can all breathe easier.”

NEW ON THE POWER SOURCE BLOG AND SOCIALS:

ON THE BLOG: We’re incredibly grateful for the efforts of LCV’s GreenRoots organizers’ this election cycle. While the outcome of the presidential election proved disappointing, our organizers helped elect climate and democracy candidates, like Senator-elect Elissia Slotkin, who won a close race in Michigan. Learn about LCV GreenRoots Organizer Kelsey’s journey from climate denial to climate activism in the final installment of LCV organizer stories on The Power Source Blog!

ON OUR SOCIALS: As we move forward from this election, we won’t tell you how to feel, but our mission to protect people and the planet is more important than ever. We are determined to work with the Biden-Harris administration to accomplish as much as we can in the coming months and will continue to fight for bold, climate action nationwide.

COMING UP

NOVEMBER 11: Veterans Day.

NOVEMBER 12: Congress returns.

NOVEMBER 28: Thanksgiving Day.

NOVEMBER 29: Native American Heritage Day.