Washington D.C. – In case you missed it, earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Chair Stabenow joined the League of Conservation Voters for a roundtable with state partners Chispa Arizona, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and Michigan League of Conservation Voters to discuss the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) historic investments at the state and local level. This discussion took place as over 80 advocates from 29 LCV state partners from around the country convened in D.C. for an advocacy week to highlight these transformational investments benefiting communities across the country.

Speakers discussed how investments from the Biden-Harris administration’s affordable clean energy plan is making the clean energy boom a reality by creating good-paying clean energy jobs across the country. It’s also saving consumers money and combating the climate crisis and environmental injustice as communities are already suffering from climate-fueled extreme weather.

WATCH: Roundtable on Inflation Reduction Act Benefits in Local Communities

“Our clean energy economy is thriving, this investment is supercharging the clean energy economy,” said LCV Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “The affordable clean energy plan is creating good paying, family sustaining jobs, saving consumers money, and putting cash back in their pockets. As people across the country suffer from deadly and devastating impacts of extreme weather fueled by the climate crisis, we are finally acting on climate at the scale science demands.”

“We’re seeing every day the Inflation Reduction Act was so worth it because in the end, not only did we pass the strongest climate legislation in history, but we are implementing the strongest climate bill in history all across the country,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Energy is getting cleaner and cleaner — whether it’s power or transportation or agriculture — the amount of carbon that’s going into the air is considerably less than it would have been, and we are getting millions of good paying jobs. These are jobs for the future.”

“From lowering energy costs for farmers and rural small businesses to spurring a clean energy boom with the creation of thousands of new jobs, the Inflation Reduction Act is delivering in communities across Michigan,” said Chair Debbie Stabenow. “We’re here commemorating this progress with the League of Conservation Voters, who has been a great partner in addressing the climate crisis.”

“In my community it can reach 120 degrees. Having this funding and communicating about the opportunities is a matter of life and death,” said Vania Guevara, Advocacy and Political Director, Chispa Arizona. “No matter where you live, no matter how much money you make, everyone should have access to clean air, clean water, and public lands. We want a clean energy transition but that cannot come at the expense of our indigenous communities, our working class, or our environment.”

“Offshore wind is the single greatest lever we can pull to lower carbon emissions, and ensure a just energy transition by strengthening the economy, protecting rate payers, improving public health, and creating family sustaining union jobs,” said Kelt Wilska, Offshore Wind Director, Environmental League of Massachusetts. 

“We know in Michigan that President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is allowing us to go into a clean energy future,” Ethan Petzold, Political Coordinator, Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Michiganders are realizing that taking action on climate is a kitchen table issue. It’s about lowering costs, it’s about good paying Michigan jobs, and it’s about creating a healthier more livable community for future generations.”

“Unlike other laws, these don’t work unless people take advantage of them,” said Matt Salton, Federal Campaigns Manager, NY, NJ, PA, MD LCV. “That’s why we have been trying to get the word out any way we can, including town halls with elected officials, op-eds in local papers, and tabling at dozens of community events.”

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