Weekly Briefing: CCL Briefs The Climate Solutions Caucus On Clean Energy Permitting Reform
October 11, 2023
On Sept. 28, the House Climate Solutions Caucus held its first meeting of this Congress, and they devoted it to a briefing on the subject of clean energy permitting reform. Not only that, but they invited CCL staff to deliver that briefing.
This is a testament to the leadership role CCL has played in conveying the importance of clean energy permitting reform as a key climate solution, through citizen lobby meetings on Capitol Hill in June and ongoing outreach to Congress about the topic. Good work, team
Ben Pendergrass, CCL’s VP of Government Affairs, kicked off the meeting by sharing the history of the Climate Solutions Caucus, including CCL’s role in its formation in 2016. Dana Nuccitelli (pictured above), CCL’s Research Coordinator, then delivered a 15-minute briefing on the goals of clean energy permitting reform, individual provisions that could advance those goals, and some bills and proposals that have included those provisions.
Though the caucus briefing itself was closed to the public and to the press, Ben and Dana recreated their remarks so the rest of us could hear what they presented to the caucus staffers. Check out the video, or read the recap, in today’s blog.
In other news this week:
• Learn from other CCLers at conference breakouts: CCL’s virtual fall conference, just under a month away, will include volunteer-led breakout sessions to showcase projects and chapters from around the country. Register today for this unique chance to learn from your fellow volunteers and get new ideas for community outreach, coalition building, creative engagement with Congress, and more.
• Europe’s CBAM: Did you catch this carbon pricing news? Europe’s carbon border adjustment mechanism, or CBAM, entered its next phase at the beginning of the month, adding more momentum to carbon pricing globally.
• Yes, in my backyard! A new poll from the Washington Post and University of Maryland shows that most Americans would be comfortable living near a solar or wind farm. Check out the charts in this Nerd Corner post on CCL Community.
Take action this week
If you have a little time: Share our new ‘Carbon pricing in 60 seconds’ video. CCL’s marketing team has created a new video to quickly explain the concept of a carbon fee and dividend. See and share the video from CCL’s social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter). You can also watch it on YouTube and Vimeo.
If you have more time: Attend CCL’s October monthly call. Each month, our chapters and volunteers tune into a virtual meeting to connect, learn, and take action. Join us on Zoom this Saturday, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, for our October meeting. We’ll hear a legislative update from CCL VP of Government Affairs, Ben Pendergrass, and have plenty of time for Q&A from call attendees. See you there!
Featured chapter: CCL North Dakota At-Large
The North Dakota At-Large chapter, led by Brad and Linda Kingery, is made up of North Dakotans from across the state who meet and coordinate their advocacy on Zoom. They have been creatively educating their lawmakers and communities about the unique role North Dakota can play in reducing carbon emissions.
In August, the group had a face-to-face meeting with Sen. Cramer in Bismarck, which the Senator posted about on social media. “The meeting focused on the PROVE IT Act, permitting reform, carbon capture in grasslands, and geothermal development in North Dakota,” Linda reports. At this meeting, chapter member Moones Alamooti brought in a copy of an LTE she had just published in the Jamestown Sun.
The chapter also recently held a “field day” event emphasizing the role of grasslands in climate protection. "The event convened over 30 individuals, including ranchers, state leaders, and key partners like the Hess Corporation,” Linda says. “This gathering served as a platform for both grassroots and grasstops outreach, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and industry representatives.” It was covered by KFYR News in Bismarck, and the story includes quotes from Dr. Beckie Phillips, an active member of the chapter.
Keep up the wonderful work, CCL North Dakota!
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Upcoming trainings
10/12: Exploring The Power of Intergenerational Climate Conversations - Led by the brilliant team behind the Intergenerational Conversations Guide, this training will explore how to talk about climate change across generations. CCL staff will then share examples of how intergenerational action can drive political will. Join us!
10/19: Overview and Benefits of the BIG WIRES Act - The BIG WIRES Act has been introduced in the House and Senate. Join CCL's Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli to learn how this policy could update and streamline the country’s patchwork energy transmission system, improving reliability and reducing energy costs. Join us!
Need training on the basics? Catch our next session of Core Volunteer Training, made for newer volunteers:
10/17: Fall Conference and Lobby Days Q&A - Join Alison Kubicsko and Mindy Ahler for a training to answer all of your questions about CCL's Fall 2023 Conference & Lobby Days. Join us!
To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.
Nerd Corner's Chart of the Week
Most Americans are comfortable living near solar and wind farms
Join the discussion about how NIMBYism is a small, albeit vocal segment of the population.
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