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 clean energy commitments in the states, climate and democracy attacks from President Trump’s first week in office, committee votes for Trump’s Cabinet nominees, and more.
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“We need to stand tall and we need to get Congress to fight back in all the ways that they can. There’s a lot of hard work to do.”
— Gene Karpinski, LCV President, during a press event with other environmental groups on how the movement is moving forward.
“This is not ‘all of the above.’ This is eliminating American energy sources because he’s got preferences.”
— Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) on President Trump’s attempt to ban wind power.
“Everything that Dr. King stood for is at risk with this president and this Congress.”
— Reverend Al Sharpton during his keynote address on MLK Jr. Day, as President Trump took office.
NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR COMMITS TO PASSING NET ZERO LEGISLATION: In her State of the State address, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham committed to passing legislation this session that would set a goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Read her full remarks for more.
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR MOVES TO CODIFY 100% CLEAN ELECTRICITY TARGET: In early 2023, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order committing to 100% clean energy by 2035 and has since focused his energy policy around that goal. Now, he is looking to codify that target into law. The Murphy administration is prioritizing bringing new sources of clean energy online, both to fight the climate crisis and to reduce New Jersey’s reliance on energy produced out-of-state.
NEW JERSEY LCV TAKE: New Jersey LCV Executive Director Ed Potosnak said, “I think [Governor Murphy is] going to need to use some political capital to work together with the legislators and folks in the labor unions, organized labor and environmental groups to put a bill together that will achieve 100% by 2035, and address any concerns that folks may have from the different constituencies.”
PROTÉGETE COLORADO CELEBRATES THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW: Protégete Colorado is thrilled to celebrate their latest cohort of Boards y Comisiones fellows! Over the past three months, program participants have gained invaluable experience and learned the ins and outs of serving on local and state boards and commissions. These emerging leaders are shaping the future of Colorado’s civic engagement.
BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES TO COVER U.S. FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO UN CLIMATE BODY: Bloomberg Philanthropies, a charitable organization founded by former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, has announced it will cover the U.S. financial contributions to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The announcement comes as President Trump is expected to halt U.S. contributions to the body, as he did during his first term. Similarly, during the first Trump administration, Bloomberg Philanthropies also increased its contributions to the UNFCCC and continued to support the body during the Biden administration.
ICYMI: GREEN GROUPS HOLD POST-INAUGURATION PRESSER: On Tuesday, leaders from LCV, Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), Sierra Club, and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) joined Climate Action Campaign’s press call to discuss the Trump administration’s Day One actions and how the community will continue fighting the climate crisis. Watch a recording of the event.
TRUMP ISSUES ONSLAUGHT OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS: President Trump issued 75 dangerous and out-of-touch executive orders on his first day in office, including withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, boosting oil and gas drilling on public land and off our coasts, and attempting to ban clean wind power.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “When it comes to the environment, the only things Trump believes in recycling are his own dirty and dangerous ideas. And it is crystal clear that his administration is all in to pad Big Oil Billionaire profits at the expense of our air, water, lands, climate, health, pocketbooks, and jobs. But the clean energy economy is here to stay, and we are more determined than ever to defend recent climate progress and bedrock environmental laws and to continue to make progress at the state and local level.”
SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE HOLDS CONFIRMATION HEARING FOR RUSSELL VOUGHT: The Senate Committee on the Budget held a confirmation hearing for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director nominee Russell Vought on Wednesday. Vought was narrowly confirmed as OMB Deputy Director during the first Trump administration. Read our statement on Vought’s hearing before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee last week.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Government Affairs Advocate David Shadburn said, “Russell Vought showed again today why he is one of President Trump’s most dangerous nominees. His longstanding desire is to cut funding that helps people who need it the most just to enrich Trump’s wealthy, Big Polluter, and corporate donors. Vought made it very clear in response to questions from Senators Merkley, Murray, and others that he would break the law and withhold funds for programs that Congress dictated be funded — including those that protect our environment and our health — through unconstitutional impoundment.
His desire to further weaken the government’s ability to help people by weaponizing the demise of the Chevron doctrine, expressing support for the REINS Act, and his scheme to fire any career civil servant who stands up for science and law instead of political cronyism, are among the numerous reasons the Senate must reject Vought’s nomination to lead this critical agency. His promises threaten the health and safety of our communities, our environment, our democracy, and our future generations, while increasing costs for people across the country.”
SENATE ENR COMMITTEE APPROVES CHRIS WRIGHT TO SERVE AS ENERGY SECRETARY: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee approved Chris Wright’s nomination to serve as energy secretary. Wright’s nomination will now face a vote in the full Senate. Ahead of the vote, LCV sent a letter to senators urging them to oppose Wright’s nomination. Check out LCV’s previous statements on Wright’s nomination and hearing for more information.
OUR TAKE: From the letter, “As Secretary of Energy, Mr. Wright would supervise critical parts of our energy economy and oversee the control and cleanup of nuclear waste. However, Mr. Wright has no government experience and has never run an organization as large and complex as the Department of Energy…The message is clear: in nominating Mr. Wright, President Trump is putting Big Polluters over people.”
SENATE EPW COMMITTEE APPROVES LEE ZELDIN TO SERVE AS EPA ADMINISTRATOR: The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee confirmed, on a nearly party-line vote, Lee Zeldin’s nomination to serve as administrator of the EPA. Zeldin’s nomination will now face a vote in the full Senate. Ahead of the vote, LCV sent a letter to senators urging them to oppose Zeldin’s nomination. Read LCV’s previous statements on Zeldin’s nomination and confirmation hearing for more.
OUR TAKE: From the letter, “Lee Zeldin has made every indication he will lead on President Trump’s anti-climate action, anti-environment agenda that will harm our communities. His evasive answers to questions on the science of climate change and the clear responsibility of EPA to reduce climate pollution that is endangering communities across the country, from North Carolina to California and Florida to Alaska, further makes clear that he will prioritize weakening health and safety regulations as favors for President Trump’s ultra wealthy friends instead of protecting frontline communities who are impacted by air and water pollution and the fossil-fueled climate crisis.”
TRUMP MAKES AI INFRASTRUCTURE ANNOUNCEMENT: President Trump announced that the private sector had planned to invest up to $500 billion in building out AI infrastructure. Data centers that drive AI have increased energy and water demand in the U.S. and, as a result, are driving up energy costs and air pollution in communities nationwide.
OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “Technology companies should make the best choice for everyone and prioritize new clean energy projects to meet their huge energy demands, which could further boost the clean energy economy that is lowering energy costs, creating jobs and protecting the environment at the same time. Data centers are already causing increased air pollution and water and electricity supply concerns for many communities without providing local benefits. As we said when President Biden recently announced a data center executive order that directed development towards clean energy and on already-impacted lands, these projects must undergo the same environmental review as any other projects that could impact communities. We will continue to press the Trump administration and billionaire tech CEOs to invest in affordable clean energy and our shared electricity grids, and engage impacted community representatives to help promote safer, healthier and thriving communities – not just ATMs for billionaire executives.”
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKES ACTION TARGETING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES: On Day One of his administration, President Trump issued an intentionally overwhelming number of executive orders, including declaring a national emergency at the borders and deploying troops there, calling for mass deportations, attempting to end birthright citizenship, and suspending refugee resettlement efforts.
OUR TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Trump’s inhumane executive orders targeting immigrants for political gain will harm the privacy and fundamental civil liberties of communities across the country, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. These abhorrent executive orders — going as far as the unconstitutional revocation of birthright citizenship – are not about national security or protecting communities; they demonstrate the disturbing cruelty Trump and his allies have promised to enact against immigrant communities and communities of color — which will have far-reaching and unintended consequences for all citizens and their civil rights. Immigrants have been vital to the economy of this country since its inception, and globally they are too often disproportionately on the frontlines of the fossil-fueled climate crisis and pollution that have made their communities unlivable. LCV will continue to work with our partners at the state, local, and federal levels to help protect communities, no matter their immigration status, from these chaotic and inhumane policies intended to dismantle families and communities.”
CHISPA TAKE: Chispa Senior Director Estefany Carrasco-González said, “Today’s immigration actions from the new administration are inhumane, ineffective, dishonest, and excessively costly as our nation works to become financially stronger and address critical issues like the affordability of living expenses and safe and healthy environments. We will not tolerate the further dehumanization and erasure of our communities through proposed false solutions and militarization to attack us. Immigrant communities of all backgrounds make our country better and stronger, from helping our cities flourish to contributing to our rural communities to helping Los Angeles recover from the current climate change-driven wildfires. We are inspired by immigrant communities’ innovation, community building, dedicated engagement, and being a pillar of the economy in countless ways, and we know our fight for climate justice is directly connected to immigrant justice. Today’s actions and abuse of power will cause long-term damage to entire neighborhoods, families, and local economies for the political profit of a few. Chispa will continue organizing our base to build protections and power across the country and work with federal, state, and local jurisdictions and partners to defend all our communities in the face of this hateful targeting.”
15TH ANNIVERSARY OF CITIZENS UNITED VS. FEC: Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of the decision in Citizens United vs. FEC, the Supreme Court case that overturned decades of legal precedent and paved the way for corporate polluters to spend an unlimited amount of money to influence elections.
OUR TAKE: LCV Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy Doug Lindner said, “Fifteen years after the Citizens United decision, Big Polluters, billionaires, and corporations are reaching new heights of corrupting influence in our country. Their massive spending in service of continuing to pad their own profits threatens the people’s democracy as well as protections for our fundamental rights, our environment, and our future generations. Trump and the many billionaires in his administration are already attempting to co-opt our government for themselves and Big Business at the expense of the health, safety, rights, freedoms, and wallets of everyday people. Many of these harms will fall hardest on those most impacted by the climate crisis that Trump and his Big Polluter allies are worsening.
Voters have the right to free and fair elections in which everyone gets an equal say — it’s past time to end Citizens United, get Big Polluter money out of politics, and return power to the people.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned for content covering what President Trump’s Cabinet picks could mean for climate, and Big Polluters’ unique vocabulary.
ON OUR SOCIALS: We’re planning to be on our worst behavior for the next four years, and this includes calling out the bogus “energy emergency,” Trump’s attempts to ban clean energy, and reminding audiences of the real impact of pulling out of the Paris agreement.
JANUARY 25: Rise for Democracy Teach In: 10am-8pm at All Souls Unitarian Church in Colombia Heights, DC. Register to attend here!
JANUARY 29: Lunar New Year begins.
FEBRUARY 17: Presidents’ Day.
FEBRUARY 28: Ramadan begins at sunset.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters