Hello from Climate Week! Today is Transportation Day. Highlights from today’s panel with @dave.bzky.team, Darwin Moosavi & Jeff Tumlin. 1. Policy solutions to move billions into zero carbon transportation (via state budgets). 2. Use dollars better: simplify gov’t priorities to deliver services.

“The subway is operating better today than it did when it opened in the 1970s” - Jeff

This is great news from Virginia! State-supported intercity bus routes are a critical component of any comprehensive state-wide transit system. This is particularly critical for keeping small towns and rural communities connected to each other and neighboring urban communities.

The Salt River Project elections this week were historic. Let’s keep going in Arizona: donate here to win the next “weird utility race” against TPUSA - the Arizona Corporation Commission in November secure.actblue.com/donate/lower...

donate here to win the next “weird utility race” against TPUSA - the Arizona Corporation Commission in November secure.actblue.com/donate/lower...

Shoutout to www.azpowerpac.org

Arizona results are in: OUR CLEAN ENERGY CANDIDATES WON AT THE SALT RIVER PROJECT

Trifecta control in Wisconsin is absolutely on the table in November.

Wisconsin: Strong possibility that both chambers flip in November. A long way until then.

As bills skyrocket, lawmakers need to know that the best climate solutions will also help insulate households from runaway costs. 🏃‍♀️ Transportation choices, 🏠 Homes we can afford near school and work, 🔌 Responsible grid investments in clean energy, and 📝 Insurance market reforms. LFGooooooo

Economic instability is at an all-time high — so today we're launching a policy platform to tackle the 4 largest household bills Americans face: electricity, transportation, housing, and home insurance. Read the full platform here 👇

Clean energy lowers costs. Don't believe me? Look at my electric bill from last month, thanks to Illinois's recent clean energy legislation. Then check out @climatecabineteducation.org's new policy platform about how to make this happen everywhere 👇

Bottom-line. The clear alignment between cost-saving investments & climate investments has quickly transformed what is politically possible in red, blue, and purple states. @spears.bsky.social shares her reflections on this moment here: climatecabineteducation.org/climate-acti...

Finally, let’s look at home insurance. The average American household will spend almost $3000 on home insurance costs in 2026, 17% more than just 2 years ago. Why? Climate catastrophes are destabilizing the market. But pro-climate policies can lower risk and reduce bills. A win-win.

Next, let’s go to the #1 and #2 household bills – housing and transportation. The prices for both gas and rent are soaring. We can address both by building walkable communities and investing in zero-carbon transportation in rural, suburban, and urban areas.

Let’s start with electricity. Bills have gone up by a staggering 29%. The solution? get prices down by connecting clean energy to the grid.

We’re proud to introduce our platform to lower four of the largest household bills in the US – and cut pollution at the same time. Read it here: climatecabineteducation.org/cutting-poll...

2️⃣ Insurance market reform. Thanks to climate catastrophes, many states have spent huge $$s bailing out failing insurance markets. We need to pass insurance policy that *insulates* state budgets from climate disaster market meltdowns.

💯 this. States are facing significant budget problems. We need a new set of state policy goals that are grounded in the realities of state budgets. For example: 1️⃣ Creating new state financing vehicles, like Illinois did last year on transportation. Polluter pays and cap-and-invest are others.

The price of gas is OVER $4.00. Here's how state and local lawmakers can step up to cut costs: 🔌 Speed up electric vehicle sales 🚲 Promote safe biking and walking 🚌 Fight for affordable, reliable transportation 🏘️ Legalize multi-family homes and ADUs climatecabineteducation.org/transportati...

With gas over $4/gal nationally and locally much higher, there will be more demand for EVs, but there is so much more lawmakers can do to help. Start here with this set of tools created by @climatecabineteducation.org

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in MI are working to tackle the housing crisis. By eliminating unnecessary red tape and embracing duplexes and additional housing diversity solutions, newly introduced Michigan legislation could become a model for the rest of the country if passed.

Visit www.hsrail.org/blog/tell-sp... to tell your Illinois legislators to cosponsor the Passenger Rail Planning Act. This legislation would be a critical step towards the high-frequency regional rail system we all deserve - not just in Illinois, but throughout the Midwest and beyond.

ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES (laudatory)

Virginia’s legislative session finished just a few days ago. And lawmakers voted to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, expand virtual power plants, and grow solar.

Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler's victory email specifically calling out electricity rates.

Congratulations to @pierce4nchouse.bsky.social and @rodneysadler.com on their victories in tonight’s North Carolina primaries! Both candidates are committed climate champions who are ready to build the clean energy economy, lower bills, and reduce pollution⚡️

It’s Primary Election Day for millions of people across America. Tonight, I’m watching North Carolina and Texas results for their impact on climate and clean energy in the 2027 legislative sessions.

North Carolina primary votes are through the roof on the Dem side

In NC primary early voting: - Dems turn out in way bigger numbers than R's - UNAFFILIATED voters turning out in bigger numbers than R's - And Unaffiliated votes are breaking for Dems, big time

They voted to gut the state’s climate law, and are on track to lose their election tonight.

🚨Climate Job for Data Engineer🚨 Come consult for the best team in climate policy and politics! @climatecabinet.org (Position is fully remote within the US -- ignore the "Chicago" in the link preview.)

The Building Up Illinois Developments agenda @govpritzker.illinois.gov offers a roadmap. Protecting the provisions in the recent IL transit reform law re: transit-oriented development and ending parking minimums around frequent transit areas is key. citythatworks.substack.com/p/governor-p...

@climatecabineteducation.org released a huge report today outlining 16 pro-climate, politically pragmatic housing policies. If you’re a policymaker or climate leader wondering where to go next – you should check it out.

“From Virginia to Texas the clean energy economy is still moving full steam ahead” This was just 5 days ago btw

This update on the coal situation in IL brought to you by @climatecabinet.org which is worth a follow, especially if you want to stay in the loop about these kinds of climate wins that are too often missed

Since that story came out, the councilmembers voted to stop negotatiations w/ the coal-supporting agency entirely. This is the kind of climate story that won't make front page news but CAN make a big difference in actual emissions. There are wins still happening, even now, if we know where to look

Climate win: In Naperville, IL, which gets its power in part from a coal plant that's one of the top 10 climate polluters in the country, city councilmembers just voted to stop negotiations w/ the agency keeping them hooked on coal. I first wrote about this here: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Some thoughts from Climate Cabinet Action Executive Director @spears.bsky.social on today's announcement that the Trump administration will attempt to unilaterally repeal the endangerment finding:

Not content to set fire to the constitution, they want to set fire to the world. We have the tools to stop them. Here's how 👇

To get this done, we need the right people in office to actually stand up to polluter interests. This is the work that @spears.bsky.social founded and built @climatecabinet.org to do, and we are doing it every day. We won 90% of our elections in 2025 and 2026 is just kicking off. You can help. LFG

At @climatecabinet.org we are fortunate to have @jordanhaedtler.bsky.social as our lead policy expert on Insurance regulation especially. Jordan spearheaded the policy thinking behind bills that are moving in SIX states RIGHT now to tie insurance rates to climate realities:

Beyond electricity and transportation (about half to two-thirds of most states' ghgs), states have enormous power to exercise financial authority-- how they invest pension funds, setting up green banks, creating polluters-pay laws, reforming bankruptcy rules, regulating insurance industries...

Right now, some of the biggest threats to clean energy come from active policy choices to prop up the dirtiest, most expensive sources of electricity. State lawmakers can stop this:

Progress on clean energy is never assured, and backtracking is always a risk. This is especially true with the growth of data centers and other new large electricity users. @climatecabineteducation.org has a useful primer on what states can do to keep bills down and clean energy growing:

Advocates like @denisce.bsky.social and @nickarnoldaz.bsky.social are working every day to ensure clean energy continues to grow in tough policy environments like Arizona and Texas.

Second: The electric sector is the domain of states. Without state renewables laws, there would be no renewables, period. States made this market and this revolution that many are now calling "inevitable." It is not inevitable. Feds and pro-fossil state legislators can do a lot to slow it.

In fact: the argument against states doing *even more* on transportation pollution relies on the federal government setting uniform standards. If there is no federal standard, that opens up some interesting legal questions here.

States can do a lot to spur electric cars and provide other, cleaner & cheaper transportation options. @michealpodgers.bsky.social has compiled seven sets of policies any state (and many local governments) can adopt now: climatecabineteducation.org/transportati...

This biggest source of climate pollution in the country is car tailpipes, and the only (ONLY) federal climate law currently is some very inadequate car tailpipe pollution standards. Trump has already thrown even those out. Fortunately: states have a lot of power here.