Weekly Briefing: Here's What's Happening With Permitting Reform 

May 17, 2023

The debate on permitting reform, which is needed to speed up the clean energy transition, is heating up in Congress, and CCL volunteers will lobby on this issue next month. So, what are the proposals in play right now, and what will we be asking for?

To answer these questions and bring everyone up to speed, CCL Senior Director of Government Affairs Jennifer Tyler recorded a new legislative update. Jenn said CCL's job is to "help steer this conversation in the right direction and get it across the finish line."

What does CCL want? Permitting reform legislation must:

• drive down carbon pollution by speeding up approval for good clean energy projects
• protect the health and safety of American people and communities

"Without those two things, it's not going to be something Citizens' Climate Lobby is going to be able to support."

Watch the recording to get the complete briefing from Jenn.

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In other news this week:  

• Last call for conference: Registration for CCL’s June conference and lobby day closes this Sunday, May 21. Don’t miss out on being part of the team heading to the Capitol to press for clean energy permitting reform, a price on carbon, and other climate solutions. Register now.

• On CCL’s blog: Check out our recent posts about what’s needed to clear the clean energy bottleneck and how baseball can bridge the political divide on climate change.

• Info session in Spanish: In addition to our weekly info session offered in English, CCL holds a Spanish-language version each quarter. The next Spanish info session is May 30. RSVP on CCL Community or on Eventbrite, and share with anyone who might be interested. 

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Take action this week  

If you have a little time: Share our latest legislative update video. There is a lot of permitting reform legislation out there right now, and CCL is working hard to steer the discussion in the right direction. Share our latest legislative update video to educate your friends and fellow CCLers about what we’re pushing for on permitting reform and how these updates are crucial to meeting our climate goals.

If you have more time: Work with your liaison to plan a great June lobby meeting. Setting lobby meetings — and thoroughly preparing for them — are some of the things we do best in CCL. Has your chapter’s liaison or appointment setter requested a June lobby meeting on Capitol Hill? Have you started crafting your meeting plan? Check out the May Action Sheet for guidance on every step of this process. 

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Featured Chapter: CCL Charleston, WV   

CCL’s Charleston, West Virginia, chapter is a small but quite active group. West Virginia state coordinator Mark Tabbert says a “shining light” in the chapter is Dorothy Scharf, a volunteer who “generates ideas and does the follow-through.” 

Dorothy recently organized an Arbor Day tree planting at the Mary C. Snow Elementary School on the city’s west side. Dorothy (pictured above, left) and a local garden club member worked with students in the classroom prior to the event, teaching kids about seed germination and urban forests. The tree planting included two second grade classes and the city’s mayor, and the event earned a feature on the front page of the local newspaper, the Charleston Gazette-Mail. 

The chapter has also generated nearly 40 contacts to their members of Congress in recent months — a steady drumbeat of calls for climate action from Appalachia. Great work, CCL Charleston!

Have you logged your latest activities in the Action Tracker? Tell us what your chapter has been up to lately!

ACTION TRACKER | FIND YOUR NEAREST CHAPTER

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Upcoming Trainings 

5/18: June 2023 Lobby Training #1: Primary & Supporting Asks - Join CCL's Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Pendergrass and Senior Director Jenn Tyler for a training that will review the updates and context for CCL's June 2023 Primary and Supporting Asks as well as guidance for lobby teams as they plan their online meetings. Join us!

5/22: June 2023 Lobby Training #2: Legislative Plan - Join CCL's Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Pendergrass and Senior Director Jenn Tyler for a training that will provide up to the moment insights on the dynamics in Congress and how we can most effectively use our time in meetings to support our agenda. Join us!

5/25: Lobbying Basics: Transformative Power of Citizen Advocacy - Attend this session to learn about citizen advocacy, the advantages we hold as citizens in transforming our government, and hear stories from CCL volunteers around the country who demonstrate how citizens can build meaningful, long-term relationships with their congressional office. Join us!

Need training on the basics? Catch our next session of Core Volunteer Training, made for newer volunteers:

5/23: June 2023 Conference & Lobby Days Q&A - Join Alison Kubicsko, CCL’s National Events Manager, for a chance to ask all of your questions about CCL's June 2023 Conference & Lobby Day. RSVP here.

To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.

Nerd Corner's Chart of the Week

Cases of asthma exacerbated by oil and gas operations annually in the USA

Join the discussion on Nerd Corner about the adverse health effects of oil and gas production pollution