Need to Know

FEDERAL
 - At the beginning of March, three Congressional lawmakers introduced a bill - the Clean Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation's Future Act (CLEAN) - which would require 100% clean energy being used by 2050 (80% clean energy by 2030).  More...  See the Opportunities to Participate section below. 

 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering implementing a greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution cap.  The cap is part of the Clean Air Act, and under President Trump, the administration refused to enact it.  More...

 - In mid-February, a group of United States Senators provided the Biden-Harris administration with different proposals on how the administration could move forward with their call for transitioning the federal government vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs).  More...

 - Also in mid-February, it was reported that fourteen environmental organizations collectively sued the EPA for not making smog standards more substantial during the Trump administration.  More... 

 - The Biden-Harris administration announced in February that the Department of Energy would be putting $100 million towards low-carbon energy technologies, which will also require the creation of jobs to support the technology.  More...

 - Twenty-one young people who had sued the federal government stating that their rights to a "stable climate system" had been infringed on, will now take their case to the United States Supreme Court.  More...

MULTIPLE STATES
- Six utility companies are working together to create a "highway" of charging stations across many different states including Texas and states in the upper Eastern seaboard.  Their coalition is called the Electric Highway Coalition.  More...

INDIVIDUAL STATES
ARIZONA
 - The San Carlos Apache Tribe is fighting in court to keep land that they have used for religious purposes for centuries and they consider sacred land, from being destroyed by two mining companies.  More...

MARYLAND
 - Some state legislators in Maryland are looking to school districts to reduce their emissions and use more renewable energy.  A bill - HB 630 - was recently introduced along those lines.  More...

 - A bill before the Maryland State Senate would require the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities to be reformed to ensure inclusion from and representation of Maryland communities that are the most at risk from climate change.  More...

 - Here is a compiled list via The Baltimore Sun/Christine Condon, a reporter at The Baltimore Sun of ten climate bills before the Maryland General Assembly this legislative session.  More...

MASSACHUSETTS
 - A group of environmental champions called the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition is putting pressure on Massachusetts Governor Baker to not allow biomass energy plants to be eligible for clean energy subsides.  More...

NEW HAMPSHIRE
 - Numerous New Hampshire businesses have submitted a letter to the state's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to encourage the state to ramp up the energy-efficiency resource standard.  More...

NEW JERSEY
 - Atlantic City Electric received authorization from the New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities to spend $21 million on building a framework for electric vehicle (EV) charging.  More...

 - In mid-February, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that the state would be putting $100 million into green energy transportation projects, specifically focused on areas in the state that have high-pollution and are overburdened.  More... 

Opportunities to Participate

NOTE: The following is an opportunity for colleges and universities for sign-on; not an opportunity for individuals at colleges and universities.  Are you an individual at a higher education institution who believes your college/university may be interested in signing onto the below opportunity?  We encourage you to reach-out to the leadership at your institution and let them know. 

ALL STATES
We are inviting you to join a higher institution sector sign-on letter supporting a strong 2030 U.S. climate target (known as a "Nationally Determined Contribution" - NDC) pursuant to the Paris Agreement.

We know that the Biden-Harris administration seeks to establish an attainable U.S. 2030 goal, but the U.S. State Department and U.S. Climate Envoy, John Kerry, will need broad support from leading sectors - including the higher education sector - across the United States, and those with a footprint in the United States to do so.

Specifically, our higher education sign-on letter calls on the United States to adopt a target of at least 50% emissions reduction by 2030 in order to place the country on a credible pathway to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

We encourage you to read the letter and the FAQs before signing onto the letter.  

For any questions, you can contact Amanda Belles.   

Sources:
Beitsch, R.  (2021, February 11).  EPA sued by environmental groups over Trump-era smog rule.  The Hill.  URL. 

Condon, C.  (2021, March 9).  10 climate bills to watch in the Maryland General Assembly this session.  The Baltimore Sun.  URL.  

Feingold, J.  (2021, February 17).  New Hampshire companies call for enhancing state’s energy-efficiency standard.  NH Business Review.  URL. 

Frazinm R.  (2021, February 16).  Democrats propose executive actions on electric vehicle acquisitions.  The Hill.  URL. 

Gardner, T.  (2021, March 2).  U.S. House Democratic lawmakers introduce wide-ranging climate bill.  Reuters.  URL. 

Gilmer, E.  (2021, February 11).  Young Climate Litigants Push High Court Fight Some Call Reckless.  Bloomberg Law.  URL. 

Golden-Krasner, M.  (2021, March 5).  EPA Reopens Consideration of National Climate Pollution Cap.  Center for Biological Diversity.  URL.    

Hunt, M.  (2021, March 5).  Maryland bill would refine environmental justice commission.  The Washington Post.  URL. 

Hyatt, K.  (2021, March 3).   6 electric utilities are teaming up to build a huge EV charging network.  CNET.  URL. 

Johnson, T.  (2021, February 17).  NJ to spend $100M on green energy, environmental justice.  NJ Spotlight News.  URL. 

Johnson, T.  (2021, February 18).  State agency gives ACE green light on charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.  NJ Spotlight News.  URL. 

Martin, J.  (2021, February 17).  Coalition asking Baker to withdraw rule allowing biomass energy plants to qualify for clean energy subsidies.  22 News WWLP.  URL. 

McFadden, C., Ramgopal, K., Romo, C., and Schapiro, R.  (2021, March 3).  Sacred Apache land 'on death row' in standoff with foreign mining titans.  NBC News.  URL. 

Schwe, E.  (2021, February 18).  To Address Climate Change, Schools Encouraged to Go Green.  Maryland Matters.  URL. 

Volcovici, V.  (2021, February 11).  White House launches clean energy effort, $100 million in technology funding.  Reuters.  URL. 

Our monthly policy updates, information, and opportunities to participate, are developed with support from Ceres, which is an organizational partner of Second Nature.  Ceres has identified the following states plus Washington, D.C. for our primary focus - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. - because of the beneficial legislative climates and real opportunities for policy advancements in these states.  

Note: The states included in each monthly Policy Update will be based on what policy updates we are recommending for that month, and are due to change - but will always be focused on the above 15 states (plus Washington, D.C.) - from month to month.