THIS WEEK IN CLIMATE ACTION – OCTOBER 4, 2024

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.

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“That is a damning non-answer.”

— Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz on JD Vance’s refusal to admit that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

“I’m here today to thank all of those who are working to get those folks the relief and support they so desperately need and so rightly deserve.”

— Vice President Kamala Harris on the recovery effects following Hurricane Helene in Augusta, Georgia.

“Clean water should be a right for everyone, not just the people who can afford it — and as president I will continue to work with communities like Flint to ensure you not only have clean water, but the opportunity to recover economically and thrive.”

— Vice President Kamala Harris speaking on our freedoms at a rally in Flint, Michigan

———————————————————————————————————————

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION’S CLIMATE AGENDA IN ACTION

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INVEST OVER $1 BILLION IN PASSENGER RAIL: The Department of Transportation has made an additional over $1 billion available for projects to expand and improve passenger rail systems across the country. This funding builds on $8.2 billion in grants that was announced from the department in December.

BUTTIGIEG TAKE: U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, “The funding we’re announcing today will help add new train routes and improve existing train lines across the country – another important step the Biden-Harris administration is taking to deliver world-class rail to Americans.”

DOE ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION AND GRIDS: The Department of Energy announced it will improve electricity transmission and grids by funding four additional transmission lines stretching nearly a thousand miles.

OUR TAKE: LCV Vice President of Federal Policy and former EPA scientist Matthew Davis said, “We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for continuing to make crucial progress to improve and expand our electricity grids through leveraging key investments and issuing this planning study. Now more than ever we need to ensure that communities and families have access to more reliable and affordable clean electricity. This study from the Department of Energy underscores the economic and social value of improved reliability and resiliency in the face of fossil fueled climate disasters, access to more affordable clean energy from across our country’s grids, and overall lowered costs for families, even in the face of increased demand for electricity. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration to further advance improvements to our electricity grids and interregional transmission.”

TREASURY ANNOUNCES CONSUMERS SAVED MORE THAN $2 BILLION ON PURCHASING ELECTRIC VEHICLES THIS YEAR: This week, the Treasury Department reached a new milestone – because of the Inflation Reduction Act, consumers have saved more than $2 billion on new and used electric vehicle purchases this year, in addition to the savings in operating and maintenance costs.  More than 300,000 electric vehicles have been purchased using the immediate rebate at the point of sale, making clean transportation more accessible and affordable.  

BETTER TRACKING OF FOREVER CHEMICALS: On Tuesday, the EPA proposed a rule that would add 16 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (better known as PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals’) and 15 categories of PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), which helps communities know about the chemicals in their own backyards. The proposal would improve reporting by counting all PFAS in the same category towards the reporting threshold, ensuring that companies can’t skirt reporting requirements on small releases of these toxic chemicals.  

ICYMI: ADMINISTRATION TAKES MORE ACTION TO PROTECT OUR WATERS: On September 25, the Biden-Harris administration announced several new initiatives aimed at protecting our nation’s freshwater resources, including: investing in long-term Colorado River Basin resilience and in Tribal water infrastructure, reconnecting waterways and restoring aquatic ecosystems, and doubling partners for the America the Beautiful Freshwater challenge, a nationwide initiative to protect, restore and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of rivers and streams by 2030. 

———————————————————————————————————————

IN NATIONAL NEWS: 

HURRICANE HELENE: In the astounding aftermath of Hurricane Helene, communities across the South continue to face tragedy and hardship – climate change is causing bigger, stronger and more devastating storms. While Donald Trump claims that climate change is not his problem, we disagree. We expect our leaders to take responsibility, get help to those impacted, and provide solutions that will protect our communities in the future – and that is what the Biden-Harris administration is doing.

PRESIDENT’S TAKE: President Joe Biden said, “My first responsibility is to get all the help needed to impacted areas…We’re not leaving until the job is done.”

VICE PRESIDENT’S TAKE:  Vice President Kamala Harris said, “These are very difficult times.  And in a moment of crisis, I think that really does bring out the best of who we are, and you each epitomize that important and good work.”

GIVEGREEN HITS $50 MILLION MILESTONE: LCV Victory Fund and NRDC Action Votes announced over $50 million raised and contributed to elect pro-environment candidates to public office in this cycle through their fundraising platform GiveGreen. This is the latest milestone in what has been a record-breaking fundraising cycle for GiveGreen.

LCVVF TAKE:  LCV Victory Fund President Gene Karpinski said, “GiveGreen donors are continuing to give more than ever to support climate candidates up and down the ballot who are committed to protecting our communities, our planet, and future generations. This summer was the hottest on record, and communities, especially communities of color and communities with low wealth, are increasingly seeing the devastating impacts of the fossil-fueled climate crisis and extreme weather. Climate donors around the country know the stakes for our climate and our democracy are higher than ever, and the contrast between climate champions and pro-polluter candidates could not be more clear.”

NRDC ACTION VOTES TAKE: NRDC Action Votes Executive Director Kevin S. Curtis said, “GiveGreen donors are stepping up to this fight in record numbers because they understand what’s at stake in this election. We must move forward and build on the progress of the past four years, or we will go back to Big Oil billionaires and their lobbyists being in charge of our energy, environmental and climate policy in Washington, D.C. This is a fight for our future, and we have to win it.”

LCV VICTORY FUND HAS KNOCKED ON 1 MILLION DOORS: LCV Victory Fund has officially knocked on over 1 million doors this cycle drumming up support for pro-environmental candidates across the country.

VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DEBATE: After Vice Presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz debated this week, the choice remained clear: Walz will fight for our democracy and climate solutions while Vance continues to defend Trump, our dirtiest president of all time who undermined our democracy the last time he lost an election.

LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Pete Maysmith said, “As families and communities begin the hard and painful recovery from the devastating destruction of Hurricane Helene, a disaster caused by climate change, it was maddening but not surprising to hear J.D. Vance mimic his running mate and to spread misinformation, shill for Big Oil, and cosign Project 2025 policies. JD Vance lied about increasing U.S. based manufacturing when that is something Kamala Harris already did by casting the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act that has led to a clean energy boom across the country, creating over 300,000 clean energy jobs, lowering costs and cutting carbon emissions. In a surprising  moment of candor, Vance verged on contradicting Trump, saying  ‘even if we accept it’s true’ that carbon emissions are causing climate change (it is) –something Donald Trump continues to deny as recently as tonight when he said (inaccurately) that ‘the planet has actually gotten a little bit cooler recently. Climate change covers everything. It can rain, it can be dry, it can be hot, it can be cold.’ 

Meanwhile, Walz reminded voters about Kamala Harris’s record and plan for tackling the crisis through the continued development of a clean energy economy and expressed empathy and support to those who are currently living through the very real impacts of climate change. The choice this November could not be clearer–a Harris-Walz administration will put our families, communities, and climate first to ensure access to clean air and water, support a clean energy economy that creates family sustaining jobs, and tackle the climate crisis.”

Ahead of the vice presidential debate, in a memo, LCV Victory Fund detailed both candidates’ records on climate. Unsurprisingly, Vance emulates Trump with his support of Project 2025 and Big Oil’s wish list while Walz brings noteworthy experience to the ticket, having delivered historic clean energy and climate legislation for Minnesotans.     

LCV VICTORY FUND LAUNCHES NEW WAVE OF HOUSE ADS: LCV Victory Fund launched new House ads in NY-19, OR-05, MT-01 and CA-45. These ads include digital and broadcast spots, as well as a mail program in CA-45 opposing Dirty Dozen member Michelle Steel. These are part of the $14 million House campaign that launched in September – which now stands at $15 million – and will support 16 House races across the country. 

LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Vice President of Paid Communications and Elections Megan Jacobs said, “Voters need to know that there is a clear choice up and down the ballot this election cycle. MAGA House Republicans are determined to undermine and dismantle all the climate progress made by the Biden-Harris administration, despite the very real impacts of climate change happening across the country. This November, we must elect pro-environment candidates and climate champions to the House who will look out for the health and safety of our communities and support a clean energy economy that lowers costs for families across the country.”

LCV VICTORY FUND LAUNCHES ADS, EXPANDS FIELD PROGRAM IN PENNSYLVANIA SENATE RACE: LCV Victory Fund announced a $2 million digital ad campaign that calls out Dirty Dozen member Dave McCormick for outsourcing American jobs and an additional $600,000 investment to expand their Pennsylvania field organizing program supporting Senator Bob Casey and Kamala Harris. Watch the ads here, here, and here. 

LCVVF TAKE: LCV Victory Fund Senior Vice President of Campaigns Pete Maysmith said, “Multimillionaire Dave McCormick is a former hedge fund CEO who looks out for wealthy folks like himself instead of workers in Pennsylvania. With a record of outsourcing American jobs it’s not surprising he’s also pledged to roll back the clean energy initiatives that are already creating jobs here and benefiting Pennsylvanians. He doesn’t care about the fact that 51% of energy jobs in the state are clean energy jobs that could be put at risk if he had his way. McCormick is just another one of Trump’s power hungry cronies focused on his bottom line rather than the health, safety and prosperity of hardworking Pennsylvanians. Meanwhile, we can count on Bob Casey to support workers and the solutions that have created a boom of high-paying, family-sustaining jobs and are cutting energy bills for everyone.”

METHANE AND MERCURY RULES SAFE FROM SCOTUS RULING: Today while the Supreme Court declined to block methane and mercury rules, MAGA justices on the Court have a track record of dismantling rules that would protect communities. This session they are already slated to hear cases that could impact other environmental rules, including a key environmental case where LCV has called on Justice Gorsuch to recuse himself due to a conflict of interest (READ MORE BELOW).

LCV CALLS FOR MAGA JUSTICE TO RECUSE HIMSELF (AGAIN): This week, LCV joined Accountable.US and Representative Hank Johnson for a press call to demand that Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch recuse himself from Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado due to his ties to a Big Oil billionaire who stands to profit. Research shows these same ties have prompted Gorsuch to recuse himself from dozens of cases involving the same Big Oil billionaire and his companies. This case could severely narrow the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a key environmental protection and community right to know and engagement law.

LCV TAKE: LCV Senior Director of Judiciary & Democracy Doug Lindner said, “We have all gotten quite an education in the last couple of years about how shockingly, comically, tragically low the ethical standards on the highest court of the land are. Now we have yet another case backed by yet another fossil fuel billionaire to undermine yet another core protection for our environment, our health and our safety. And yet another MAGA justice with financial ties to Big Oil.”

———————————————————————————————————————

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATES:

BALTIMORE IS RESTORING WETLANDS TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE: Thanks to funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, organizations across Baltimore, MD are addressing the loss of wetlands ecosystems to make their communities more resilient to climate change and the effects of severe weather.

CHISPA NV LEADS A CLEANRIDE4KIDS ELECTRIC BUS TOUR: This past Saturday, community members, school officials, and activists came together to tour one of Clark County School District’s electric school buses. Our Chispa Nevada program, which has been advocating for clean school buses in the area since 2017, hosted the event at Winchester Dondero Cultural Center. Speakers celebrated the district’s progress with four electric buses already in use and plans to purchase 25 more. Attendees were also encouraged to sign a petition supporting the full transition away from diesel buses in Nevada.“Together, we can protect the health of our students and give them clean air to breathe.” said activist Guadalupe Lyn. Read more on a story covered by the Review Journal here and news3lv  here

———————————————————————————————————————

NEW ON THE POWER SOURCE BLOG AND SOCIALS:

ON THE BLOG: The top 5 stories from September are here! Read about how LCV Victory Fund is defeating anti-environmental candidates, reaching young voters through expanded door knocking efforts, our $55 million ad campaign in swing states, efforts to flip the House, and climate action at the DNC.

ON OUR SOCIALS: It was a big week for big milestones in the environmental movement– we’re celebrating 1 million doors knocked across our field programs in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and environmental champions up and down the ballot, Tim Walz addressing climate change at the vice presidential debate on Tuesday night, AND  Jimmy Carter’s 100th Birthday! 

———————————————————————————————————————

COMING UP:

OCTOBER 7 – 11: National Voter Education Week.
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.