Need to Know

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
FEDERAL LEVEL
 - Earlier this year, H.R. 5986, "The Environmental Justice for All Act" was introduced in the United States House of Representatives.  On July 30th, the same bill was introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).  more...   

 - Numerous different social and environmental groups recently sent a letter to U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee members opposing the nomination of William Perry Pendley by President Trump, to head up the Bureau of Land Management.  One reason for the opposition as cited in the letter is because of Pendley's "history of mocking and scapegoating marginalized communities."  more...

STATE LEVEL
 - Before the ending of the legislative cycle, the Massachusetts state legislature was considering H.4264, "An Act relative to environmental justice in the commonwealth."  Ceres submitted a letter of support, as did Second Nature through the Ceres team.  Unfortunately, the provisions in H.4264 that we were supporting did not carry-over into H.4912, "An Act creating a 2050 roadmap to a clean and thriving commonwealth"  However, there was an amendment - Amendment 52 to H.4912 - that was submitted and pertains to Environmental Justice.       Ceres Letter      Second Nature Letter   

 - A New Jersey General Assembly committee pushed forth a bill (S-232) in July that would give low-income and minority communities more of a voice in projects that could potentially create more pollution within their communities.  The bill is part of a two-bill package to help address climate justice issues.  more...

LOCAL LEVEL
 - GreenBiz Group conversed with the sustainability officers and mayors from eight different cities that are involved in the Climate Mayors Network, about how their climate action plans incorporate climate justice.  more...

INTERNATIONAL
 - In mid-July, the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force called for a "green and just economy" as part of the response to COVID-19.  Their proposal includes investments in public transportation and affordable housing; an end to public investment in fossil fuels; care-free city streets, and more.  more...

FEDERAL
 - According to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Trump Administration estimated that climate change's harm to future generations at seven times lower than federal estimates that were made previously.  more... 

 - In mid-July, numerous different environmental organizations called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ramp up smog reduction standards.  However, the EPA is not planning to do so.  more...

MULTIPLE STATES
 - Fifteen Governors recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to work together to decarbonize commercial vehicles within their states.  The states are: California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, plus the District of Columbia.  more...

 - Twenty states, numerous cities and a county have joined together to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over a regulation that deems it unnecessary to regulate power plant mercury emissions and other pollutants, among other reasons.  more...

 - According to a World Resources (WR) Institute report, from 2005 to 2018, 41 states have advanced their economies, while reducing their carbon emissions.  more...

INDIVIDUAL STATES
CALIFORNIA
 - California continues to lead when it comes to electric vehicles which they are now expanding beyond just cars, to heavy-duty trucks and construction machinery as well.  Additional states are also beginning to follow California's lead in the absence of a federal electric vehicles plan in place.  more...

 - In July, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Trump Administration against the State of California in regard to their cap-and-trade program.  more...

OHIO
 - More than 53,000 Pro-Life Ohio residents signed a petition over the past few months, calling on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and members of the state legislature to commit to move the State of Ohio to 100% renewable energy by 2030.  more... 

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 15 states plus Washington, D.C. for our primary focus - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, 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.  

Header Photo by Eric Muhr on Unsplash

Sources:
Beitsch, R.  (2020, July 13).  "EPA declines to tighten smog standards amid pressure from green groups."  The Hill.  URL.  Retrieved 8/7/2020.  

Ceres.  (2020, July 14).  "Businesses Applaud Largest Multi-State Effort to Expedite Decarbonization of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles."  Ceres.  URL.  Retrieved 8/7/2020. 

Frazin, R.  (2020, July 20).  "20 states sue EPA over weakened justification for power plant regulation."  The Hill.  URL.  Retrieved 8/10/2020.  

Friedman, L.  (2020, July 14).  "G.A.O.: Trump Boosts Deregulation by Undervaluing Cost of Climate Change."  The New York Times.  URL.  Retrieved 8/6/2020.

Gerdes, J.  (2020, July 13).  "Next Up for Electrification: Heavy-Duty Trucks and Construction Machinery."  Greentech Media.  URL.  Retrieved 8/7/2020. 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP.  (2020, August 3).  "'Environmental Justice for All Act' Introduced in the U.S. Senate."  The National Law Review.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/5/2020.  

Johnson, T.  (2020, July 21).  "Bill Advances to Help Lower-Income Communities in NJ Block Projects that Could Increase Pollution."  NJ Spotlight.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/10/2020.  

Kasler, D.  (2020, July 17).  "Trump can’t weaken California’s climate change carbon market, federal judge rules."  The Sacramento Bee.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/10/2020. 

Klein, J.  (2020, July 20).  "8 cities share how racial justice is embedded into their climate plans."  GreenBiz Group.  URL.  Retrieved 8/10/2020.  

Mayaard-Schaap, Rev. K.  (2020, July 16).  "More than 53,000 pro-life ohioans signed call for state to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030."  Evangelical Environmental Network.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/10/2020.   

Mercado, A.  (2020, July 15).  "The world’s mayors want a pandemic recovery that takes cars off the streets."  Grist.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/6/2020. 

Streater, S.  (2020, August 3).  "A 'bigoted and divisive extremist': NAACP takes on BLM chief."  E&E News.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/5/2020.  

Toussaint, K.  (2020, July 28).  "41 states have reduced their carbon emissions while growing their economies."  Fast Company.  URL.  Retrieved: 8/10/2020.  

United States Congress.  (2020).  "A Bill: Environmental Justice for All Act."  URL.  Retrieved: 8/5/2020.