Monthly Policy Update | August 2020 No images? Click here Policy Update Need to KnowENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE - 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 - 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
- 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...
- 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...
- 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... 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. Sources: 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. |