🌍 DNC Climate Council: On the Road in Alaska & WA, Pipeline Petition, Climate Leader Spotlights & More

Hello Adrianne,

Over the weekend, a record-breaking heat wave rolled over much of the U.S. and Europe. The devastating heat in Pakistan and India has risen above 110° F in places. It's May, and wildfires are already devastating states from New Mexico to Michigan.

We need profound, systemic change to make the rapid transition to renewables that science shows is necessary. To make that change happen, we must win at the ballot box in November. We must rally for it in the streets and on social media. We must push back on Big Oil climate lies. And we must advocate in the halls of power.

Whether you have 1 minute or 100, there are ways to make a difference right here in this newsletter. Read on and plug in.

Grateful to be in this good fight with you,

Michelle Regalado DeatrickChair, DNC Environment and Climate Crisis Council

ON THE ROAD: Council Organizing and Outreach - Alaska & Seattle

Collage of people marching and meeting on climate issues, and a glacier image.

The Council kicked off our return to in-person events across the U.S. this month. Council Chair Michelle Regalado Deatrick spoke at the Alaska Democratic Party Convention, attended an energetic session of the AK Dems’ Climate Caucus, and met with Tribal Nation and environmental leaders. The Council also held a well-attended listening session in Juneau — thank you to Alaska DNC Committeewoman Brenda Knapp for participating. Among the many concerns raised:

Alaska is warming three times faster than the world average.Salmon are under serious threat. The Tongass National Forest - “the lungs of North America”- faces devastating, continued clearcutting, despite President Biden’s well-received reinstatement of the Roadless Rule. Watch for our upcoming Calls to Action.

In Seattle, Council leadership connected with state party leaders at the Association of State Democratic Committees to discuss how to strengthen environmental organizing in the Democratic Party in every state and territory.

to Wanda Culp, Margo Waring, Ron Meahan, Council Vice Chair David Green and dozens of generous people who organized for this tour and shared their insights.

SIGN OUR PETITION: Tell the Army Corps of Engineers to Revoke the Rubber-Stamp, Fast-Track Approval for Pipelines via Nationwide Permit #12

Don't miss this chance to push for transformative change. Nationwide Permit 12 (NWP12) is undergoing review by the Army Corps, which is asking for public input — your input. NWP12 is an ongoing threat and risk which allows pipeline companies to sidestep public notice and accountability, and almost all environmental assessments, for major pipeline projects across the country.

Sign our petition and then share with our easy-to-use tools. NWP12 has been used for approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline, Keystone XL, ET Rover, Gulf Coast Pipeline and more. These big pipeline projects are bad for land, bad for water, bad for communities and farms — and carry fossil fuels that are destroying our planet and future.

Sign & Share

ICYMI: Council Panel On the Power & Path of the Climate Movement

Our powerful Earth Month discussion with youth climate and environmental justice advocates: Watch it now.

WINS AND GRATITUDECouncil's Earth Month Mobilization. From Nevada to Michigan, from Georgia to Minnesota and overseas, Democrats organized in person and virtually for Earth Month: Protests outside fossil fuel-funding banks, nature hikes, weekly marches (go, Atlanta!), climate literacy webinars, highway cleanups, and more.Legislation to hold Big Oil Accountable for price gouging passed by House Democrats. Prices at the pump are not the result of inflation but of Big Oil profiteering and exorbitant executive bonuses. Pass it on:Share bill sponsor Katie Porter’s tweet. Clean School Bus Program launched by the EPA. Diesel-powered buses are bad for kids, bad for climate, and add pollution to disproportionately polluted frontline communities. We uphold the transition to EV buses. City of Houston given ten days by HUD to fix its unabashedly racist Hurricane Harvey plan. Great leadership by Secretary Marcia Fudge.

SHARE & HONOR: Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Environmental Leaders
Share our post and learn more about the inspirational and effective work of Miya Yoshitani, leading the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.

Share on Facebook | Share on Twitter

EXPLORE & LEARN: White House “Infrastructure School” Guidebook & Webinars

Do you lead, work, advise or serve tribal, state, regional, county or other jurisdictions? As funds from the Infrastructure Law begin to flow, the White House has some excellent resources to inform and enable access to those funds, including for environmental remediation, clean water, electric vehicles, climate resilience, broadband & more. The guidebook is here. Watch explanatory “Infrastructure School” webinars here.

RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTARIES: YOUTH v GOV & The Power of Big Oil

YOUTH v GOV: Youth-led cases against governments are spreading. Just-released documentary tells the story of Juliana v. U.S. and its 21 young plaintiffs suing the U.S. government for actions causing the climate crisis. One of the plaintiffs, Isaac V, was a speaker in our Earth Month Roundtable (scroll back up to watch Isaac). Watch YOUTH v GOV here.

THE POWER OF BIG OIL: Three-part series exposing Exxon’s disinformation and denial of climate science, and its disruption of government actions over a half-century. Watch The Power of Big Oil here.

BIODIVERSITY DAY & RACHEL CARSON’S BIRTHDAY

Biodiversity Day was yesterday, May 22; Rachel Carson’s birthday is Friday, May 27.