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:

“Election after election, we’re seeing real momentum behind the Biden-Harris agenda.”

— Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager, in a statement following two victories for Democrats in special elections in Pennsylvania and New York.

“Elections are about choices, and the contrast in the upcoming presidential election could not be more stark, nor the choice more clear.”

— Tiernan Sittenfeld, LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, in a letter to the editor of the New York Times responding to an article published by the Times regarding President Biden’s work on climate.

“Whether you’re in the middle of a heatwave or a winter storm, every single American should be able to keep the lights on.”

— Representative Greg Casar (D-TX-35) on the introduction of the Connect the Grid Act that would connect Texas’ electrical grid to the national grid.

BIDEN’S CLIMATE AGENDA IN ACTION

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES WORKING LANDS CLIMATE CORPS: As part of President Biden’s American Climate Corps, the USDA has launched the initial cohort of the Working Lands Climate Corps, which will put more than 100 young people to work addressing the urgent challenges faced by agricultural communities across the country.

IN NATIONAL NEWS: 

TOM SUOZZI WINS NY-03 SPECIAL ELECTION: Democrat Tom Suozzi won the special election in NY-03 on Tuesday, flipping back ousted former Representative George Santos’ seat.

LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “We’re thrilled Tom Suozzi is on his way back to Congress to continue tackling the climate crisis. Representative Suozzi has a proven track record of putting the people of Long Island, Queens, New York, and our country over polluters and special interests. LCV Action Fund congratulates him on his win tonight, and we look forward to building on our joint efforts  for our communities, clean air and water, and a clean energy future.”

LCVVF’S INVESTMENTS IN NY-03 PAY OFF: LCV Victory Fund invested heavily in the NY-03 special election, knocking on an estimated 90,000 doors to drum up support for Suozzi, and injecting over $700,000 into the race. After the election, we released a memo with three key takeaways from the election: Ground game matters, environmental issues are on voters’ minds, and Suozzi’s climate message puts Republicans in a tight spot. Read more on these takeaways here!

LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Pete Maysmith said, “It’s extremely clear that the MAGA Republicans in the House are only interested in doing Big Oil’s bidding, even as they continually fail to get anything productive done in Congress. We need pro-climate, pro-democracy leadership back in charge of the House, and that journey starts with getting Tom Suozzi back into Congress to replace disgraced former Representative George Santos.”

H.R. 7176, THE SO-CALLED “UNLOCKING OUR DOMESTIC LNG POTENTIAL ACT,” PASSES THE HOUSE: Yesterday, the House voted to pass H.R. 7176, the so-called “Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act,” which would lock us in for decades of continued fossil fuel use. The legislation is dead on arrival in the Senate.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo said, “MAGA Republicans in the House have once again put the interests of their Big Polluter friends over protecting people and the planet. This extreme bill takes away the government’s ability to even study what is in the ‘public’s interest.’ It represents a shameless handout to the fossil fuel industry and would lock frontline communities and communities across the country in for decades of continued extraction, climate disruption, unstable energy prices, and negative impacts on our health and safety.”

CHISPA TX TAKE: Chispa Texas Program Director Elida Castillo said, “H.R. 7176 is terrible for many local communities already impacted by out-of-control LNG expansion all along our Texas Gulf coastline. Today’s House vote represents some elected officials acting quickly to protect a few big polluting industries while continuing to disregard the health, energy and environment needs of entire families and neighborhoods, often their own constituents. The impact of LNG facilities on local communities should be taken seriously, and our federal government has a responsibility to examine the impacts of LNG expansion on our environment and communities. Instead, this bill makes it irresponsibly easy for LNG exporters to build, extract, pollute, and then export. The Biden Administration’s pause on new LNG facilities should continue.”

Earlier this week, LCV led a coalition of 66 organizations in sending a letter to the House of Representatives urging members to oppose the bill.

TAKE 2: LCV President Gene Karpinski said, “This legislation would institute dangerous rollbacks of the federal government’s responsibility to examine the full impacts of LNG expansion on U.S. energy markets, the environment, local communities, and consumers. Instead of requiring a rigorous review process consistent with good governance practices, this legislation is a dangerous step in the wrong direction that would strip away the federal government’s ability and responsibility to properly analyze the impacts of LNG exports. The fossil fuel industry is already raking in record profits at the expense of communities and the environment, yet their supporters in Congress are still giving them handouts that lock us into increase and indefinite extraction and climate disruption, unstable energy prices, and continued health and safety impacts, particularly for frontline communities.”

BIDEN SPEAKS ON ANNIVERSARY OF EAST PALESTINE, OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: In the year since a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, putting the health and safety of its residents at risk, the Biden-Harris administration has been actively working with the EPA to clean up the area, monitor air quality, support the residents of East Palestine, and hold those responsible accountable. In addition to deploying the EPA to mitigate the damage from the derailment, the administration has invested in creating a safer rail system and supporting rail workers to ensure no more communities are impacted by this type of disaster.

OUR TAKE: LCV Deputy Legislative Director Madeleine Foote said, “President Biden’s partnership with local leaders to deploy resources and clean up the damage from last year’s train derailment in East Palestine has been critical to helping the impacted community move forward. Yet, extremist MAGA Republicans, from the former president to partisan Supreme Court justices and members of Congress, continue to prioritize the profits of Big Polluters by launching relentless attacks on EPA’s authority to protect communities and prevent similar disasters in the future. We thank President Biden for his leadership and urge the administration to continue to hold Norfolk Southern accountable, improve rail safety, implement strong safeguards against hazardous chemicals, and ensure every community has access to clean air and clean water, especially environmental justice communities who are disproportionately impacted by Big Polluters and special interests.”

HOUSE DEMS INTRODUCE CONNECT THE GRID ACT: Representative Greg Casar (D-TX-35) and others introduced the Connect the Grid Act in the House on Wednesday. The legislation could help connect Texas communities with neighboring regions to boost everyone’s access to clean, reliable energy.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “We applaud the members of Congress who are leading the charge to help all communities have access to more reliable, clean affordable power, especially in historically excluded communities of color and communities with low wealth. Extreme heat and winters have wreaked havoc on Texas’ isolated electric grid, and after last year’s deadly hottest year on record, it’s more important than ever to have reliable, clean energy sources in every community. We urge Congress to pass the Connect the Grid Act, and will work to ensure that people in the most impacted communities are prioritized over polluters in its implementation and the implementation of any other transmission and reliability improvements.”

 CHISPA TX TAKE: Chispa Texas Director Elida Castillo said, “Chispa Texas welcomes the Connect the Grid Act. For too long our state’s electric grid reliability has not been taken seriously, and the communities left without power due to extreme weather, or even regular weather, are the same communities already dealing with disproportionate environmental impacts due to the fossil fuel industry. We are particularly encouraged by the Act’s inclusion of ‘meaningful community involvement,’ which will allow Latino and Black neighborhoods to help shape their energy needs, including putting our comunidades first over large industry consumers and Big Polluters. Congress must quickly and equitably pass the Connect the Grid Act.”

COALITION URGES CONGRESS TO REJECT BILL TO WEAKEN CLEAN AIR ACT: A coalition of 32 groups sent a letter to members of Congress urging them to oppose the so-called “Air Quality Standards Implementation Act of 2024,” which is an extreme attack on the public health protections of the Clean Air Act.

COALITION TAKE: From the letter, “The Air Quality Standards Implementation Act of 2024 unjustifiably weakens Clean Air Act requirements meant to ensure progress toward reducing smog and soot and lead pollution. It shifts the law from its focus on public health and safe air to economic and technological feasibility for polluting industries. Despite its bland name, this bill represents an extreme attack on the most fundamental safeguards and rights in the Clean Air Act.”

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

CA ENVIROVOTERS LAUNCHES GIVE GREEN CALIFORNIA: California Environmental Voters launched Give Green California, a platform to raise money and fund campaigns for environmental justice candidates, and build a greener future.

ENVIROVOTERS TAKE: California Environmental Voters Executive Officer Mary Creasman said, “Voters have been outmatched by the influence of corporate polluters in elections for too long. This tool will harness the resources of individual political donors to build collective power and accountability for climate justice and action. Innovative, courageous change happens locally and statewide first, and together we will ensure our elected representation prioritizes communities and our future over profits.”

ALASKA CENTER CELEBRATES ELIZABETH PERATROVICH DAY: The Alaska Center, in partnership with Get Out the Native Vote, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Planned Parenthood Alaska, and Alaska Voter Hub, will host an event later tonight celebrating the legacy of Elizabeth Peratrovich, an Alaska Native hero whose tireless advocacy and unwavering spirit played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights in Alaska. Read more in the Anchorage Daily News!

CHISPA TX URGES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO CONDUCT EVALUATION OF PROPOSED DESALINATION PLANT: Chispa Texas joined with community members in Corpus Christi, TX, to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a thorough evaluation of both the direct and indirect consequences of the proposed Inner Harbor Desalination plant, considering social, economic, and environmental factors.

Additionally reported this week, fenceline community members in Texas successfully convinced the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into whether the city violated the Civil Rights Act by pursuing the plant. Listen to the firsthand experiences of community members to learn more.

CHISPA AZ JOINS CALL TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS: Last week, Chispa Arizona and dedicated community members delivered testimonies emphasizing the importance of prioritizing public land preservation. Hear from Vania Guevara, Chispa Arizona’s Advocacy Deputy Director, as she shares the community’s stance on this critical issue here.

NEW ON THE POWER SOURCE BLOG AND SOCIALS:

ON THE BLOG: The latest installation in our series on LCV’s work to develop future leaders went up on the blog this week. Check out the article to learn about a governance training we held last month with our New Jersey state affiliate and eight newly-elected state representatives and city council members in the state.

ON OUR SOCIALS: This week, LCV celebrated Valentine’s Day with a romantic poem and by sending out love letters to some of our favorite national parks and monuments. We also commemorated Black History Month by honoring Black leaders in the democracy space. And, we had to share this very relatable Travis Kelce moment from the Super Bowl.

COMING UP:

FEBRUARY 21: Ohio v. EPA SCOTUS oral arguments.

MARCH 1: First government funding deadline.

MARCH 7: President Biden to deliver State of the Union Address.

MARCH 8: Second government funding deadline.