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 covering who is protecting us from reckless data center developments that contribute to climate change and sky-high energy bills, and who is siding with Big Oil and Gas instead.
Be sure to follow LCV on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and TikTok.
“We’re communicating and connecting with voters on energy affordability. This is a part of our program, and it’s really important.”
— Sara Schreiber, senior vice president of LCV Victory Fund, in MS NOW on LCV Victory Fund’s new ad program targeting six House Republicans and their votes to give data centers a tax break.
“Big Oil gets the profits, and American families get the bill.”
— Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, in a statement on a new report from his Anti-Corruption Working Group.
“You don’t have to have all of these resources to really make a difference in being [an] environmentalist.”
— Zuri Torres, communications director of Chispa Arizona, speaking with CALÓ News about a garden beautification workshop during Latinx/e Conservation Week.
“Voters want their voices heard, they want their votes to count, and they want free and fair elections.”
— California Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, on legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to protect voting rights and California elections.
NEW YORK GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES PROGRAM TO LOWER HEATING COSTS: New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $1 billion in new investments through the state’s Sustainable Future Program to lower household energy costs, expand clean energy, and modernize the state’s energy infrastructure. The funding includes $500 million for building decarbonization, including energy efficiency and clean electric heating upgrades, $300 million to expand renewable energy, and additional investments in clean schools, climate-resilient agriculture, forest management, and public land stewardship. The investments are part of Hochul’s new Clean, Highly Affordable, Reliable, Grid Expansion (CHARGE) agenda, which also includes plans to modernize the electric grid and address growing electricity demand, including requiring data centers to provide their own power or pay higher rates so those costs are not shifted onto everyday New Yorkers.
NYLCV TAKE: New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “For too long, our electricity and gas infrastructure planning have been done separately even though they have intersecting impacts. The Energy Infrastructure Development Plan will integrate the review of our energy needs and put us on the path to the lowest cost and cleanest options. New Yorkers deserve cleaner air, healthier communities, and cheaper and cleaner energy, so we applaud Governor Hochul for announcing the new CHARGE Agenda to shepherd the state towards a zero-emissions future.”
OHIO’S LARGEST SOLAR PROJECT GETS GREENLIGHT: Oak Run Solar, Ohio’s largest solar project, received approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board to move forward after years of legal and regulatory delays. The 800 megawatt project will include 300 megawatts of battery storage and will be an agivoltaic facility, hosting both solar energy generation and agriculture, with around 1,000 sheep grazing among the solar panels.
OEC TAKE: Managing Director of Energy Policy for the Ohio Environmental Council Nolan Rutschilling, said, “At a moment when Ohio needs more electricity generation to lower costs, projects like Oak Run can help meet growing demand while bringing substantial investment and economic opportunity to local communities. Oak Run is a great example of where solar, agriculture, and battery storage can not only cross over, but thrive while doing so.”
MARYLAND GOVERNOR MOORE SETS NEW GUARDRAILS FOR DATA CENTERS: Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing new guardrails for large data center projects, including protections for communities and the environment. The order establishes a Data Center Task Force and a Data Center Dashboard to make project information accessible to the public, including power demand and water use.
MDLCV TAKE: Maryland LCV said, “Maryland LCV applauds Governor Moore for his Executive Order on Responsible Data Center Development. It has become exceedingly clear that the data center industry needs more oversight. Today, the Moore Administration demonstrated strong leadership by establishing a clear roadmap to ensure ratepayers and the environment will not bear the burden of future data center development in Maryland.”
CONSERVATION COLORADO JOINS AMENDMENT 82 PRESS CONFERENCE: On September 23, Conservation Colorado joined doctors, legal experts, ratepayers, and conservation advocates outside the Colorado Supreme Court for a press conference organized by the No Pollution in the Constitution campaign. Speakers urged voters to oppose Amendment 82, a November ballot measure that would create a state constitutional right to purchase and sell natural gas for use in homes and businesses. Conservation Colorado and other opponents raised concerns about the measure’s effects on environmental protections, community health, and utility affordability. Dozens of people attended the event as organizers continue educating voters ahead of the November election. See Conservation Colorado’s video from the press conference here.
CONSERVATION COLORADO TAKE: Conservation Colorado Senior Political Program Manager Jenny Gaeng said, “They want us to vote for the ‘right’ to pollute. They want us to hand them the “right” to raise our energy bills.”
NEW LCVVF MEMO – NEW COOK ANALYSIS REINFORCES THAT ENERGY BILL VOTERS COULD SWING MIDTERMS: With just under 40 days left until Election Day, The Cook Political Report released a new analysis that identifies the “doubly disenchanted” voter as a crucial voting bloc that could determine the outcome of the Midterms. Cook notes that these voters “draw the line on lowering gas prices and energy costs, giving Democrats a 37%-27% advantage – suggesting it’s the one critical pain point that could ultimately cause them to defect.” These are, in many respects, the “Energy Bill Voters” LCV Victory Fund has been focused on all year, and we are well positioned to move this audience to be the difference-maker in this election. Read LCV Victory Fund’s full memo here.
SENATE VOTE ON RATEPAYER PROTECTION ACT CAN’T BE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: The Senate will potentially vote on Senator Jon Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act next week. This bill falls short of addressing the public’s concerns about data centers and skyrocketing energy costs.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President for Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “Let’s be clear, a bill that simply asks states to ‘consider’ making standards for passing along energy costs from data centers does not fix what families are facing, and it does not address the real threats posed by unchecked data center growth.
“Under pressure from Big Tech, states could easily ignore this bill entirely. Senators who are serious about lowering energy bills and protecting communities should stop pretending this bill is enough, and instead support solutions that provide real accountability, like Senator Heinrich’s GRID Savings Act— a bill Republican Senators blocked from passing last week. They also shouldn’t have voted for tax breaks for data centers in their Big Ugly Bill in the first place.
“As we said before the House voted on this bill, the job isn’t done until we have binding protections for public health and the environment, real input and benefits for communities hosting these facilities, and financial responsibility squarely where it belongs: on the industry, not ratepayers. To pass this and declare ‘mission accomplished’ would be an insult to a public who understands that their very real concerns about data centers cannot be addressed with such a weak promise and no follow-through.”
SENATE EPW COMMITTEE RELEASES NEW REPORT EXPOSING TRUMP AND BIG OIL’S TROUBLING DEAL: A new report from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee details a corrupt deal between Donald Trump and the fossil fuel industry. Trump solicited $1 billion in campaign contributions from oil and gas executives in Mar-a-Lago just days before his first criminal trial began. Fossil fuel donors spent $201 million on Trump’s reelection in 2024, with an estimated $190 billion return over the next decade. Meanwhile, Americans have paid the price of higher energy costs and increasing climate-related damage as Trump attacks renewables and props up dirty energy.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Federal Advocacy Campaign Director Leah Donahey said, “In 2024, Donald Trump gathered his Big Oil backers at Mar-a-Lago for one purpose: to secure $1 billion in campaign donations in exchange for policy favors. Oil company executives in turn invested hundreds of millions of dollars in his campaign and Trump has let them call the shots repaying , them many times over—showering these polluters with outsized taxpayer-funded subsidies, shady handouts, and dubious regulatory favors at the expense of hardworking families, our health, and our climate.”
“Now oil and gas CEOs are set to pocket an estimated $190 billion in subsidies over the next decade, while ordinary Americans pay more at the pump and Big Oil posts record profits.”
“Instead of delivering real relief, Trump and his Congressional Republican enablers have blocked clean energy projects, gutted tax credits, and thrown away billions attacking renewables — putting polluters first and leaving families behind. Polling shows that Americans see Oil and Gas as the “most corrupt” industry in the U.S. Trump and view corruption as the reason for rising costs.”
“We thank Leader Schumer and Ranking Member Whitehouse for exposing Trump’s and Big Oil’s corrupt deal. It’s time to end giveaways to Big Oil and put hardworking families first.”
MARYLAND LEADER TESTIFIES IN SUPPORT OF ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES: On September 24, Chispa Maryland Promotora and Montgomery County Public Schools mom Veronica Carreto testified before the Board of Education in support of electric school buses. She urged the Board to reconsider the pause on the transition, highlighting cleaner air and reduced diesel pollution for students. Chispa Maryland leaders and families also showed support as they continue advocating for healthier transportation for students.
LCV LAUNCHES MEMBER MOBILIZATION FIELD PROGRAM: LCV announced this year’s launch of GreenRoots, its member mobilization program. This midterm cycle, GreenRoots is mobilizing LCV’s national membership in support of 30 LCV Action Fund-endorsed candidates in 13 battleground states, including Georgia, Maine, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
OUR TAKE: LCV National Field Director Bill Hairston said, “We are in a crucial moment — our communities are facing the devastating impacts of the climate crisis while Trump’s MAGA allies in Congress do everything they can to raise prices and roll back protections for people, the planet, and our democracy. People across the country are paying the cost of Trump’s affordability and energy crises while he schemes to enrich his fossil fuel CEO donors. LCV members are more motivated than ever to turn out voters and elect leaders who will prioritize affordable clean energy, protect our right to free and fair elections, and fight for future generations.”
LCVVF PUTS HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ DATA CENTER TAX BREAK VOTE AT THE HEART OF NEW $2 MILLION AD PROGRAM: LCV Victory Fund launched a new $2 million digital ad campaign in six competitive House districts focused on Republican incumbents’ votes for the Republican Tax Law, which LCV Victory Fund says gave data center developers $80 billion in tax breaks while cutting clean energy programs. The ads target Reps. Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Zach Nunn (IA-03), Tom Barrett (MI-07), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), and will run on connected TV and YouTube through November 3. Using a tongue-in-cheek 1990s infomercial format, the campaign connects rapid data center development with concerns about rising electricity costs, water and noise pollution, and increased climate pollution from fossil fuel-powered facilities.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “Communities are already feeling the pain—rising utility bills, more pollution, and daily quality-of-life hits—as fossil-fueled data centers multiply across the country. But the long-term danger is only just beginning. If every project is powered by gas or coal, the carbon pollution in the U.S. could soar by up to a third, slamming the brakes on climate progress and leading to more extreme weather. And let’s be honest, voters can’t expect Republican candidates bankrolled by Big Oil to put families and the future ahead of fossil fuel profits. If they could, they wouldn’t have handed data center companies $80 billion in tax breaks already.”
LCVVF LAUNCHES $1.5 MILLION AD CAMPAIGN TARGETING NC SENATE CANDIDATE WHATLEY: LCV Victory Fund, EDF Action Votes, and NRDC Action Votes launched a new $1.5 million ad campaign in North Carolina focused on Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s two-decade career as a lobbyist for Big Oil and Duke Energy. The ad, “Their Man,” highlights Whatley’s past work advocating for utility rate increases and asking state regulators to allow Duke Energy to pass coal ash cleanup costs on to customers. The groups are connecting that record to energy affordability as North Carolina families face rising electricity bills. The ad will run on connected TV, YouTube, and digital audio through September 28.
LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Sara Schreiber said, “North Carolinians are paying more every month to keep the lights on. Meanwhile, Michael Whatley has spent his career making millions cozying up to Big Oil and Gas companies. Energy costs are on the ballot this election year and North Carolinians deserve to know where Whatley’s loyalties lie.”
LCVVF WEEKLY ROUNDUP: Big Oil and Big Tech took center stage as growing opposition from voters on data center development and AI and skyrocketing energy prices continues to put a strain on voters’ pockets. This week, LCV Victory Fund took a look at new polling on what is motivating the “doubly disenchanted” voter, stories from the field, and ads that dropped on the airwaves this week. Check out this week’s roundup here.
LCVAF ANNOUNCES LATEST SLATE OF ENDORSEMENTS FOR THE U.S. HOUSE: LCV Action Fund announced its latest slate of endorsements for the U.S. House of Representatives, backing nine candidates who will fight to lower energy costs, build a clean energy economy, protect our environment, and strengthen our democracy. The slate includes Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) and Jared Moskowitz (FL-25), along with House candidates Leela Gray (FL-13), Pia Dandiya (FL-22), Patty Garcia (IL-04), Callie Barr (MI-01), Matt Little (MN-02), Brad Lander (NY-10), and Nancy Lacore (SC-01).
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “Our future is on the line — we cannot continue to afford Trump’s corrupt agenda to make Big Polluters and his corporate billionaire friends ever richer while we all pay the cost, We need strong leaders like these who will fight for clean air and water, our public lands, and a free and fair democracy for all. The stakes for the health of people and the planet have never been higher as MAGA Republicans continue to attack protections for our environment, our rights, and our communities.”
LCV OPPOSES ANNA ST. JOHN FOR FIFTH CIRCUIT: Ahead of a Senate committee vote, LCV urged senators to oppose Anna St. John’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, citing her record of siding with corporate interests at the expense of regular people. Before her lifetime appointment to a federal District Court earlier this year, St. John led the Center for Class Action Fairness, which has intervened in class action lawsuits on behalf of corporate interests, and previously operated under the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has received funding from fossil fuel and other corporate interests and challenged environmental protections in federal court. LCV warned that elevating St. John to the Fifth Circuit could threaten clean air, clean water, climate protections, and equal justice, and said the organization will strongly consider including senators’ votes on her nomination in the 2026 National Environmental Scorecard.
OUR TAKE: In our letter to the Senate, LCV President Pete Maysmith said, “Her demonstrated corporate bias is disqualifying, and her elevation is a threat to Americans’ rights to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and equal justice under law.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned for exciting new content, coming soon to The Power Source blog!
ON OUR SOCIALS: Ever wanted dirty water, sky-high utility bills, and a brand new data center in your backyard? Great news: House Republicans scored an $80 billion deal for you! If that sounds a little bleak, don’t worry — we rounded up some Good Climate News you might have missed this week. Plus, a reminder for anyone who needs it: our public lands belong to the people, not polluters.
OCTOBER 5: Supreme Court oral arguments in Suncor v. Boulder.
OCTOBER 12: Indigenous People’s Day.
OCTOBER 24: National Vote Early Day.
NOVEMBER 2: Comment period closes on EPA’s proposal to not limit any climate pollution.
NOVEMBER 3: ELECTION DAY.
©2026 League of Conservation Voters