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.
“These lies are also harmful to those who most need help. Lives are on the line. People are in desperate situations. Have the decency to tell them the truth.”
— President Biden on MAGA Republicans’ dangerous disinformation campaign regarding the causes of extreme weather.
“If we don’t really accelerate climate action…the storms are only going to get stronger, wetter and more frequent.”
— Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central, on the impact of climate change on weather patterns.
“As a healthcare professional, I’ve worked in different roles where I’ve seen an increase in cancer, an increase in asthma, and other breathing related issues. It’s not fair that just because people live in low income communities people feel like it’s okay to place highways and [polluting] plants.”
— Achol Deng, GreenRoots Arizona organizer and healthcare professional, on why climate action is so important.
EPA ISSUES FINAL LEAD AND COPPER RULE IMPROVEMENTS: EPA released its final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) that will better protect communities from lead in drinking water and requires that all lead pipes nationwide be removed within 10 years.
OUR TAKE: LCV Healthy Communities Program Director Madeleine Foote said, “With the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, the Biden-Harris administration has once again delivered on its commitment to ensuring every community has access to clean water, especially communities of color and low wealth communities who are the most burdened by lead and other water pollution. At least nine million homes across the country still have lead service lines that pose health risks, including developmental issues, high blood pressure, and increased rates of cancer. Replacing all lead pipes within the next ten years is a bold step forward and LCV is thrilled to continue working with this and future administrations to achieve this critical goal and fight for clean water and environmental justice for all communities.”
HURRICANE MILTON: Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, bringing sustained winds of 120 mph, over 18 inches of rain in some areas, and leaving 3 million Florida residents without power.
MAGA extreme Republicans, such as Speaker Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Anna Paulina Luna have embarked on a politically-charged and dangerous disinformation campaign spreading lies about the causes of severe weather, which have been proven time and time again to be the result of human-driven climate change. The historic nature of Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida just two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated much of the southeastern U.S., is yet another stark reminder of how the changing climate is fueling more dangerous and frequent storms.
POTUS TAKE: President Biden said, “To all the people impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, despite the misinformation and lies, the truth is we’re providing the resources needed to rescue, recover, and rebuild… I want you to know we’ll do everything in our power to help you put the pieces back together and get all that you need.”
LCV VICTORY FUND RELEASES NEW HOUSE ADS: LCV Victory Fund launched new house ads in AZ-06, CO-08, PA-07, MT-01, NE-02, CA-47, WI-03, and VA-07. The program includes digital and broadcast ads and comes in the final four weeks of the election cycle. The latest wave of ads focuses on access to clean air and water, lowering utility costs, and MAGA Republicans giving handouts to Big Oil and Big Corporations. These are a part of the $14 million House campaign that launched in September, which has now grown to over $18 million in 23 House races.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Vice President of Paid Communications and Elections Megan Jacobs said, “With less than 30 days to go until Election Day, voters need to know where their candidates stand on key issues like climate, democracy, and access to clean drinking water. These ads demonstrate that there is a clear choice this election cycle and what is at stake. We must ensure pro-environment candidates are in the House to continue the historic climate progress made by the Biden-Harris administration to build a clean energy economy that lowers costs and creates high-paying family sustaining jobs– instead of MAGA Republicans who are determined to do the bidding of Big Oil.”
ICYMI: LCV VICTORY FUND WEEKLY UPDATE: LCV Victory Fund released a memo with updated information on the field and paid media programs. Read the full memo for more.
LCV AND LOCAL PARTNERS REGISTER 13,000+ VOTERS IN ARIZONA & UTAH’S NAVAJO NATION: LCV, in partnership with local organizations Wingbeat 88 and Stewardship Utah (formerly Rural Utah Project), has helped register 13,558 eligible voters across the Navajo Nation in Arizona and Utah to date. Together, we have helped register voters in nearly every zip code in Arizona and Utah on Navajo Nation.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Director of Civic Engagement Hilda Nucete said, “As we observe Indigenous Peoples Day, we recognize the critical leadership of Indigenous groups in our fight for environmental justice, against the climate crisis and Big Polluters. We’re committed to centering Indigenous communities and communities of color who have been historically excluded in our democracy, but have long been frontline leaders in the fight for community and environmental liberation, which is why we’re proud to partner with local partners to help ensure more voters on the Navajo Nation are able to make their voices heard at the ballot box.”
STEWARDSHIP UTAH TAKE: Stewardship Utah Executive Director TJ Ellerbeck said, “We have organized and registered voters on the Utah and Arizona sides of the Navajo Nation for years to help ensure every community, no matter their zip code, is able to exercise their fundamental right to vote. This year, we’re excited to partner with Wingbeat 88 to register voters in Arizona, which marks the largest voter registration effort ever on the Navajo Nation.”
WINGBEAT 88 TAKE: Wingbeat 88 Executive Director Liv Knoki said, “We have a dream to lead, provide and advocate for our people on our own terms. We’re organizing to spark community compassion and engagement while educating and informing our Diné relatives about their voting rights. Organizing the Wingbeat 88 way is defined less by Westernized systematic approaches to change and more by what it means to feel and see positive change in our communities through genuine connectivity and honored sovereignty rights.”
NEW JERSEY OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT GETS GREEN LIGHT FOR CONSTRUCTION: Atlantic Shores, a huge 2.8 gigawatt offshore wind facility off the coast of New Jersey, has received federal approval to move forward with construction. The project will cut climate pollution and deliver clean, affordable energy to New Jersey while also creating an estimated 22,000 jobs.
NEW JERSEY LCV TAKE: New Jersey LCV Executive Director Ed Potosnak said, “We’re excited that New Jersey’s first offshore project has moved one step closer to construction. Responsibly developed offshore wind is a critical component in a clean energy future — which will fight climate change, create union jobs and improve the air quality in overburdened communities. Children from Newark to Jersey City to Camden will be able to breathe just a little easier once the renewable energy from offshore wind comes online, and we look forward to working with Governor Murphy and our state Legislature to make the promise of clean energy a reality.”
CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES HOME ENERGY REBATES PROGRAM: California has become the seventh state to launch its home energy rebate program through the Bien-Harris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. This program is making energy efficient home upgrades, such as installing a heat pump, more accessible by saving eligible residents thousands of dollars on making upgrades that are good for the planet and their wallets.
CHISPA AZ CHALLENGES GAS PLANT EXPANSION AMID GROWING HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS: Chispa Arizona is advocating for cleaner, renewable energy as Arizona Public Service proposes to expand a gas plant in a county already suffering from unhealthy air pollution. At a recent hearing, Chispa AZ urged the Arizona Corporation Commission to reject the expansion, highlighting that Arizona has the potential to lead in solar energy. The proposed expansion not only threatens the environment but would also burden ratepayers with high energy bills and increased health risks.
ON THE BLOG: With less than a month until the election, we’re reupping this piece on 5 things to know about being a poll worker!
ON OUR SOCIALS: Besides being super famous Oscar winners, what do Billie Eilish and Leonardo DiCaprio have in common? They both highlighted us on their Instagram stories this week! Billie Eilish shared this video on Donald Trump’s dangerous rhetoric regarding climate change, and Leo shared this week’s Good Climate News post! We also put up not one but TWO collaborative posts with Leo’s environmental advocacy organization Re:Wild.
Outside of posts with our celebrity besties, we shared information about Hurricane Milton highlighting the need for more climate action, and Tim Robinson nicely sums up which candidates and officials are working to make that happen and which are, well, not. And you know who we’re voting for, but in case it wasn’t clear…
OCTOBER 14: Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
OCTOBER 15: Last day of Latinx Heritage Month.
OCTOBER 18: 52nd Anniversary of the Clean Water Act.
OCTOBER 29: Vote Early Day.
NOVEMBER 5: Election Day.