©2024 League of Conservation Voters
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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.
“After decades in the trenches, he’s earned the right to step back a bit, but for the sake of the movement, I sure hope he stays in the fight.”
— White House senior adviser John Podesta on the announcement that LCV President Gene Karpinski will be stepping down in the next year.
“It’s no secret that the tax code has been deeply flawed for generations… It has reinforced economic, gender, and racial disparities that exist in every social system in this country.”
— Becky Pringle of the National Education Association during Wednesday’s “Tax Fairness in 2025” press conference.
“This year we had an easier time finding a dozen dirty candidates than JD Vance had ordering a dozen donuts.”
— Pete Maysmith, LCV Victory Fund SVP for Campaigns, on the release of the 2024 Dirty Dozen.
BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES FIFTH OFFSHORE WIND LEASE SALE: The Department of the Interior announced it will hold the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Maine on October 29th. The areas covered by the lease sale could generate up to 13 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy, or enough to power 4.5 million homes.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “Today’s announcement is further proof of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to creating clean energy jobs, lowering household energy costs, and deploying reliable clean energy to tackle the climate crisis. Thank you to BOEM and the Biden-Harris administration for engaging in thoughtful stakeholder engagement, adjusting plans based on community input, and never wavering in your commitment to the 21st century clean energy economy.”
MCV TAKE: Maine Conservation Voters (MCV) Climate and Clean Energy Director Lucy Hochschartner said, “We are excited by today’s announcement, because offshore wind will bring clean, affordable, homegrown energy and good jobs to Maine. Fossil fuels have been making our electricity volatile and expensive all while making our communities vulnerable to extreme storms. We need solutions now, and offshore wind is the biggest opportunity we have.”
ELM TAKE: Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) Offshore Wind Director and Regional Lead for New England for Offshore Wind Kelt Wilska said, “Today’s announcement of a Final Sale Notice for the Gulf of Maine lease auction is a hard-won victory for Massachusetts and all of New England. These lease parcels will be key to providing clean electricity for our shared regional grid and to building out a robust regional supply chain that will create thousands of family sustaining union jobs, all while setting a model of responsible and equitable offshore wind development for the nation.”
TREASURY RELEASES GUIDANCE FOR ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE REFUELING PROPERTY TAX CREDIT: The Department of the Treasury released additional guidance and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property tax credit. The guidance will make electric vehicles more accessible and result in cleaner air for communities nationwide.
OUR TAKE: LCV Government Affairs Advocate on Climate Change and Clean Energy Darien Davis said, “LCV commends the Biden-Harris administration for working swiftly to release additional guidance for the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property tax credit clarifying the types of service equipment for electric vehicles (EVs), like EV chargers, that are eligible for this incentive, while ensuring that individuals, businesses, and tax-exempt entities have the tools they need to apply for the credit. The additional guidance will help to accelerate the clean energy transition by making EVs and EV charging more accessible for families across the country. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration to ensure that the communities who are most impacted by transportation pollution, which are overwhelmingly communities of color and low-wealth communities, can reap health and climate benefits from this program.”
DOE FUNDS BATTERY PROJECTS: The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a total investment of $3 billion in grants for 25 critical minerals and battery manufacturing projects. The projects funded through this round of grants are expected to create over 4,000 permanent jobs and 8,000 construction jobs and will help boost U.S. clean energy supply chains.
DOE IS HELPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UPDATE ENERGY CODES: The Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $90 million in helping state, local, and Tribal governments adopt updated energy codes to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings. The updated building codes will lower emissions and energy bills for communities across the country.
LCV VICTORY FUND ANNOUNCES 2024 DIRTY DOZEN: LCV Victory Fund named the 12 candidates for federal office to its signature Dirty Dozen. For decades, the Dirty Dozen program has highlighted candidates — regardless of party affiliation — who consistently side against the environment and are running in races in which LCV Victory Fund has a serious chance to affect the outcome. Since Donald Trump was elected, LCV Victory Fund has defeated 75% of the candidates named to the Dirty Dozen. This year’s Dirty Dozen list includes: Donald Trump–President; Sam Brown–Senate, NV; Ken Calvert–House, CA-41; Juan Ciscomani–House, AZ-06; Anthony D’Esposito–House, NY-04; Yvette Herrell–House, NM-02; Eric Hovde–Senate, WI; Kari Lake–Senate, AZ; David McCormick–Senate, PA; Bernie Moreno–Senate, OH; Tim Sheehy–Senate, MT; Michelle Steel–House, CA-45.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund SVP for Campaigns Pete Maysmith said, “This year we had an easier time finding a dozen dirty candidates than JD Vance had ordering a dozen donuts. Defeating this year’s Dirty Dozen at the ballot box is key to keeping us away from Project 2025 and on the path to a clean energy future with more jobs, lower energy costs, and less of the pollution that fuels the climate crisis. Since we named Trump the Dirtiest of All Time in 2020, he’s actually gotten worse–inciting the insurrection of January 6th, continuing to lie about his loss, and making increasingly unhinged statements like wanting to be a dictator in order to ‘drill, baby, drill,’ saying he hates wind and worries about shark attacks in electric boats. Not to mention suggesting that Big Oil invest $1 Billion to support his campaign. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t take climate change seriously, even saying it’s not our problem, and joked about extreme heat endangering his own supporters. The down-ballot Trump acolytes are just piling into the same clown car with him echoing his extreme, weird and unserious views on climate and clean energy–that’s why we’re also labeling this year’s Dirty Dozen crew the Climate Clowns.”
LCV PRESIDENT GENE KARPINSKI TO STEP DOWN NEXT YEAR: After more than 18 years as the President of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and the LCV Education Fund, and a prior dozen years on the Boards, Gene Karpinski announced he plans to step down next year after a replacement is hired.
GENE’S TAKE: In a letter to LCV staff, Karpinski said, “I am deeply appreciative of the support of all of you who have helped make this journey so much fun, so rewarding, and so successful – from the Boards, to the staff, state LCV partners, allies, elected officials, supporters, and everyone else. I am proud of all that we have accomplished together, but keenly aware that we also have so much more to do until November 5th – and then for decades more to come.”
LCV UNION TAKE: LCV Union President Rowel Leung said, “Gene led LCV when the Organization voluntarily recognized our Union in 2019 and through the latest contract renegotiations we finalized earlier this year. We appreciate his long-standing dedication to the Organization, his commitment to our staff and our Union, and his resolve to fight for future generations. Thank you, Gene, for your leadership and all your work to safeguard our democracy and ensure our planet is more healthy, just, and livable for all.
The LCV Union looks forward to continuing to support our staff and members of our Union in partnership with LCV’s next President.”
LCV BOARD TAKE: Former EPA Administrator and Chair of LCV and LCVEF’s Board Carol Browner said, “You couldn’t have a better warrior, a better leader, or a better friend to work with than Gene Karpinski. I have had the fortune of working with Gene for more than 30 years, and during that time he worked every day to protect people, to hold adversaries accountable and to build winning coalitions that effected real, measurable change. Gene built LCV into a political powerhouse. We thank you for everything you did to make our movement stronger, smarter and better.”
BOARD TAKE 2: Vice Chair of LCV’s Board Roger Kim said, “In this critical era for climate action, Gene’s visionary leadership has been indispensable. He built LCV into a powerful force that transformed the political landscape and made historic progress on climate possible. Gene made sure our movement is bigger, broader, and more inclusive – organizing deeper alliances with LCV’s 30+ state affiliates and closer partnerships with unions, environmental justice leaders, key allies in the White House and on the Hill. Our movement is the most powerful it has ever been and we are deeply grateful for Gene’s leadership.”
MAGA REPUBLICANS ATTEMPT TO SUPPRESS VOTERS WITH CONTINUING RESOLUTION: Extreme MAGA Republicans in the House attempted to pass a continuing resolution (CR) government funding bill that included the SAVE Act, a racist voter suppression bill. The CR failed on the House floor leaving Congress only 22 days to fund the government before current funding runs out.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “Extreme MAGA Republicans continue to attack our democracy and our freedom to vote by attempting to create even more barriers for eligible voters to exercise their rights at the ballot box instead of fulfilling their foundational responsibility of funding the government. Trump is now recklessly calling for a government shutdown if extreme MAGA Republicans don’t get their racist voter suppression bill that would undermine election integrity by making voting harder for millions of eligible voters. A MAGA shutdown would harm our communities and protections for our health and our planet, and only benefits those trying to enact the extreme Project 2025 agenda. Congress must get serious and pass a clean short-term continuing resolution into the lame duck.”
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “The SAVE Act is unnecessary and dangerous. It promotes false claims about election interference and erodes the integrity of our democratic process by suppressing eligible voters and casting doubt on a system that is already secure. This legislation and the rhetoric of its proponents are making our immigrant communities and communities of color further targets of hate. We are already facing numerous voter suppression and intimidation efforts, not only from extremist groups but even from our own government officials. Such targeting, lies, and elevated hate speech about our Latinx communities are promoting a dangerous narrative that threatens to suppress our vote and threatens our safety across the country. The SAVE Act does nothing to help protect our communities and does nothing for election integrity. It only contributes to more eligible Americans having difficulty registering to vote and casting their ballots. Congress has a responsibility to safeguard our nation’s elections and make voting more accessible to all voters. They must continue to reject this legislation in all its forms and not perpetuate myths that put us in danger.”
ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE ADVANCES CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACTS ON EPA RULES: Republicans in the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions of disapproval on EPA’s cleaner trucks rule, power plant carbon pollution limits, and soot or particle pollution limits.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “The Biden-Harris administration has made great progress toward delivering a more sustainable, healthy, clean energy future for coming generations. With committee votes like the three we saw today, extreme MAGA Republicans are again attempting to undermine environmental protections that are helping deliver cleaner air and a safer climate for our families by rolling back standards for polluting trucks and power plants, and limits for soot, a health-harming pollutant. Instead of doing their job to keep open the federal government and protect communities, extreme MAGA Republicans are using their limited time to advance their Project 2025 agenda and the wishes of their fossil-fueled donors. We continue to urge members of Congress to vote no on these unpopular, extremist rollbacks of protections for our communities, environment, and climate.”
RISKING SHUTDOWN, MAGA HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASS CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT TO OVERTURN EPA’S TAILPIPE EMISSIONS STANDARDS: At the end of their so-called “anti-woke week,” which included Project 2025-inspired votes to hurt families’ retirement in the face of climate risks and block citizen’s access to voting (particularly for voters of color), and with a Republican-created government shutdown on the line, MAGA Republicans in the House vote to pass a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn EPA’s new tailpipe pollution standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “To cap off their so-called ‘anti-woke week,’ extreme MAGA House Republicans have once again put polluters before people by advancing a resolution to block clean vehicle standards that would benefit families across the country, regardless of where they live or what car they choose to drive. Transportation is the largest source of climate pollution, and the EPA’s standards for cars and light trucks would save families money at the pump while reducing tailpipe pollution that harms both public health and the environment. But MAGA Republicans want to throw these benefits out the window to appease their Big Oil allies. LCV urges House Republican leadership to stop wasting time with votes that hurt our communities and environment and instead do their most basic job of funding the federal government.”
CLIMATE COALITION LAUNCHES MEMBER MOBILIZATION EFFORTS TO ELECT CLIMATE CHAMPIONS: Clean Energy for America, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Action, League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Action Fund, Sierra Club, and The Wilderness Society Action Fund announced their respective member mobilization efforts to recruit volunteers to reach voters across the country to get out the vote in the final weeks of the 2024 political cycle and help elect pro-environment candidates up and down the ballot, including Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz.
COALITION TAKE: The participating organizations said, “The stakes for our environment and climate have never been higher and the contrast could not be clearer this election. Our members across the country are all-in to elect climate champions up and down the ballot who will protect communities, clean air and water, and public lands, hold Big Polluters accountable, and build on the Biden-Harris administration’s historic progress towards a clean energy future with lower energy costs for families and good-paying clean energy jobs, while combating the climate crisis and environmental injustice.”
LCV VICTORY FUND RELEASES FIRST ADS IN $14 MILLION HOUSE CAMPAIGN: LCV Victory Fund launched the first ads in a new digital and TV ad campaign supporting 16 House races across the country as part of an overall $14 million field and paid media campaign in 20 House districts to win back a pro-climate, pro-democracy House of Representatives.
OUR TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Vice President of Paid Communications and Elections Megan Jacobs said, “The MAGA House majority has been a chaotic disaster full of so much infighting that they have failed to accomplish anything for their districts or the country. They have consistently backed Big Oil’s wish list and have tried to undo progress on climate and clean energy. It’s especially cynical as they celebrate local clean energy job creation in their districts even while voting to roll back progress as soon as they return to D.C. We need pro-environment, pro-democracy representatives up and down the ballot who are ready to protect access to clean air and water, stand up to Big Polluters and put people first.”
LAMONICA MCIVER WINS NEW JERSEY SPECIAL ELECTION: LCV Action Fund endorsed candidate LaMonica McIver won the special election to the U.S. House of Representatives representing New Jersey’s 10th district.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “LaMonica McIver has been a strong leader in the fight for more climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure, clean water, and healthy communities in New Jersey, and will continue to champion climate action in Congress. LCV Action Fund is thrilled to congratulate LaMonica McIver on her victory and look forward to working with her to fight against the climate crisis and environmental injustice and to protect communities across New Jersey and future generations.”
LCV BOARD MEMBER NAMED TO FORBES SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS LIST: LCV Board member and president and CEO of Hip Hop Caucus Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. has been named to Forbes’ inaugural Sustainability Leaders list. The list spotlights 50 “entrepreneurs, scientists, funders, policymakers and activists who are leading the charge to combat the climate crisis with real, tangible impact.”
ICYMI: LCV VICTORY FUND WEEKLY UPDATE: LCV Victory Fund (LCVVF) released a memo with information on the 2024 Dirty Dozen, LCVVF field programs, and LCVVF paid media campaigns. For more details, check out the full memo.
NEVADA REGULATORS PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM PROPOSED RATE HIKE: Following months of backlash from environmental and community groups in Nevada, including Nevada Conservation League (NCL) and Chispa NV, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada unanimously rejected NV Energy’s rate increase proposal that would have nearly tripled the basic service charge for consumers in Northern Nevada. The proposal sought to set the highest basic service charge – the flat rate customers pay just for electricity service – in the nation and penalized solar and disincentivized energy efficiency in the state. Learn more about NCL’s utility accountability work at their coalition website: Utility Watch Nevada.
NCL TAKE: Nevada Conservation League (NCL) Northern Nevada Community Organizer Trystin St. Denis said, “We are relieved that the PUCN listened to the voices of Nevadans and acted to protect consumers from an excessive and harmful rate increase. The PUCN has recognized and protected the importance of rooftop solar and energy efficiency, which are immensely popular and critical to achieving Nevada’s clean energy goals and reducing our environmental harm. NV Energy should be embarrassed for even attempting this blatant money grab. We’ll be watching them in upcoming PUCN proceedings and at the 2025 Legislature.”
CHISPA NV TAKE: Chispa Nevada Program Director Audrey Peral said, “Corporate greed is forcing Nevada working families to choose between paying for groceries or paying their utility bills, and we need urgent relief.”
CHISPA MARYLAND ENGAGES AT COMMUNITY FORUM: This week, the Chispa Maryland team proudly attended a community forum where our Deputy Executive Director, Ramón Palencia, participated in key discussions. Nilcy, one of Chispa MD’s passionate promoters, alongside our Community Organizer Manager Morena Zelaya, engaged with attendees at an information table, sharing valuable resources and insights. It was a great opportunity to connect with the local community and further our mission.
PROTEGETE COLORADO HOSTS SUCCESSFUL LATINX CONSERVATION WEEK EVENT: Protégete Colorado held a successful Latinx Conservation Week event in Grand Junction, Colorado. The team enjoyed outdoor activities with families, youth, and community members who joined the event.
ON THE BLOG: The LCV Dirty Dozen 2024 are a bunch of Climate Clowns. Learn more on the website. And from Chispa, learn about the history of Cinco de Mayo and how recognizing this history is important in today’s fight against the climate crisis.
ON OUR SOCIALS: This is what we say when… it’s the Affordable Clean Energy Plan’s birthday 🎂, MAGA extreme Republicans take dangerous Congressional Review Act votes 👎, it’s National Voter Registration Day ✅, and LCV releases names of the 2024 Dirty Dozen 🤡.
SEPTEMBER 22: First day of autumn.
SEPTEMBER 24: LCV “Countdown to November” webinar about how LCV Victory Fund is targeting young voters.
SEPTEMBER 30: Current government funding expires.
OCTOBER 7 – 11: National Voter Education Week.
OCTOBER 14: Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
OCTOBER 15: Last day of Latinx Heritage Month.
©2024 League of Conservation Voters