©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.
“We could not be more excited about Governor Walz’ leadership on climate. I do not think when he campaigned in 2018 we would have called him a climate champion, and he has now made it a centerpiece.”
— Bill Holland, LCV state policy director, on Kamala Harris’s selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to serve as her running mate.
“The law has lowered the cost of clean energy upgrades for more than 3.4 million American families, saving them hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars annually on their utility bills for many years to come.”
— U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on the impact of the Biden-Harris administration’s historic climate and clean energy bill, the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Climate change crashed the Olympics.”
— Friederike Otto, climate scientist and co-founder of the World Weather Attribution group, on the sweltering heat that athletes have contended with during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION’S AFFORDABLE CLEAN ENERGY PLAN HAS SAVED HOUSEHOLDS OVER $8.4 BILLION: According to a new report from the Department of the Treasury, over 3.4 million households received a total of $8.4 billion in tax credits for energy efficiency home upgrades in 2023 alone. In addition to saving money upfront, these upgrades can lower household’s energy bills by hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.
WISCONSIN BECOMES FIRST STATE TO LAUNCH HOME EFFICIENCY ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM: Wisconsin has become the first state to launch the Home Efficiency (HOMES) program of the Biden-Harris administration’s Home Energy Rebate program, which is funded under the administration’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan. The program will enable households in the state, particularly those with lower income, to save on energy efficiency home improvements.
WCV TAKE: Wisconsin Conservation Voters Executive Director Kerry Schumann said, “This is a major victory for clean energy in Wisconsin. Wisconsin residents can now access rebates that will reduce the cost of energy-saving home improvement projects by thousands of dollars, such as insulation and heating/cooling equipment.”
EPA ANNOUNCES $171 MILLION TO UPGRADE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN BIRMINGHAM, AL: EPA announced a $171 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to the Birmingham Water Works Board in Alabama. This loan will support improvements to the water infrastructure and increase access to clean water in the city.
ONE YEAR AFTER WILDFIRES, MAUI CONTINUES TO REBUILD WITH HELP FROM BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION: In the year since a wildfires devastated Maui, Hawaiʻi, the Biden-Harris administration has provided nearly $900 million to provide housing for displaced survivors, clean up debris, rebuild infrastructure, and create resilient landscapes and infrastructure.
KAMALA HARRIS ANNOUNCES MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ AS RUNNING MATE FOR ELECTION: Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the upcoming election.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Congratulations to Governor Walz on joining this historic ticket! Governor Walz made Minnesota a national leader in addressing the climate crisis, delivering historic legislation to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2040, to increase access to electric vehicles, to assess cumulative impacts in environmental justice communities, and to replace lead pipes to ensure clean water for all. We applaud Vice President Harris for choosing a running mate who shares her commitment to acting on climate and know that together, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will build on the Biden-Harris administration’s historic progress on climate, clean energy, environmental justice, conservation, democracy, and so much more. LCV Action Fund is all-in to help elect them this November.”
LCVAF ENDORSED CANDIDATES WIN PRIMARIES IN MI AND WA: Candidates endorsed by LCV Action Fund were victorious in the Michigan and Washington primary elections. Representative Elissa Slotkin won in the primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, while Representatives Hillary Scholten (MI-03) and Haley Stevens (MI-11), and candidate Michigan State Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), won their respective primary elections. Former Michigan State Senator Curtis Hertel (MI-07) also advanced to the general election.
LCVAF TAKE: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “Congratulations to these climate champions on their victories in Michigan! Communities of color and communities with low wealth across the country and Michigan are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis and pollution. Protecting our climate and our communities could not be more urgent after the hottest day and hottest year on record, and LCV Action Fund is all-in to support candidates who will put people over Big Polluters, fight for a more free and fair democracy, to protect clean air and water, and to advance a clean energy future for all.”
In Washington, Senator Maria Cantwell, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Kim Schrier (WA-08) and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and candidate State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Emily Randall (WA-06) all advanced to the general election.
TAKE 2: LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld said, “These climate champions have a proven track record and are committed to fighting for our communities, clean air and water, our climate, and a clean energy future. Washingtonians have experienced increasing climate-fueled extreme weather in recent years, including exacerbating the impact of fires across the state. We are all-in to support these climate champions who will continue to protect the Evergreen State’s treasured environment.”
LCV VICTORY FUND AND EDF ACTION VOTES LAUNCH NEW SPANISH-LANGUAGE AD CALLING OUT SAM BROWN’S MISUSE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS: LCV Victory Fund and EDF Action Votes announced a Spanish-language ad campaign in Nevada highlighting Sam Brown’s scheme to use campaign donations marketed for other Republican candidates but using it for his own campaign debt. In 2022, Brown started a fundraising committee purportedly to support Nevada Republicans. But, only 2% went to other candidates, and the majority of the funds was funneled to Brown’s own campaign.
SOUTHAMPTON, NY EXTENDS MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS: The Southampton Town Board voted to extend the moratorium on battery energy storage system facilities, a critical part of clean energy infrastructure. New York LCV joined a coalition of NY environmental groups in releasing a statement criticizing the decision.
COALITION TAKE: From the statement, “We are deeply disappointed and concerned that the Southampton Town Council voted to extend the moratorium on BESS, which are a critical component of the state’s clean energy transition and are key to ensuring we have a grid that is as reliable as it is robust. Six-months is prudent; 18 months is clearly stonewalling. This harmful delay strategy puts at serious risk the clean energy benefits that would come from BESS projects.”
ON THE BLOG: Stay tuned, exciting things are coming!
ON OUR SOCIALS: Big news! With VP Harris announcing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, there are now two major environmental champions at the top of the 2024 Democratic ticket. And if you’re like us, you’ve been living for Snoop Dogg at the Olympics, so enjoy these climate-themed Snoop Dogg memes (you’re welcome).
THIS MONTH: August Congressional Recess.
AUGUST 16: 2nd anniversary of the passage of the historic climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act.
AUGUST 19-22: Democratic National Convention.
©2024 League of Conservation Voters