Joint Letter to the House on the Environmental Justice for All Act
CPR joined the Choose Clean Water Coalition and other allies in a joint letter to the House of Representatives, urging members to cosponsor the Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R. 2021).
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Joint Letter to the Senate on the Environmental Justice for All Act
CPR joined the Choose Clean Water Coalition and other allies in a joint letter to the Senate, urging senators to cosponsor the Environmental Justice for All Act (S. 872).
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CPR Climate Justice Initiative: Charting a National Path Forward through the California Example
Commitments to ensure an equitable clean energy transition are gaining traction, with some states dedicating a portion of clean energy funding to historically marginalized communities and the Biden-Harris administration proposing to dedicate 40 percent of federal climate funds to achieving climate justice. These commitments are essential to realizing an energy transition for communities that would otherwise be left further behind and can help alleviate longstanding inequities. As these initiatives take shape, CPR is tapping the expertise of our climate and environmental justice scholars and our body of work on climate justice. Over the next two years, we'll dig into the California example, researching the state's track record in implementing climate justice programs.
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Author(s): Alice Kaswan, Minor Sinclair
Joint Letter to the Maryland Department of the Environment on Fenceline Ammonia Monitoring
CPR joined the Environmental Integrity Project, Assateague Coastal Trust, Waterkeepers Chesapeake, and Chesapeake Legal Alliance to provide the Maryland Department of the Environment with information on ammonia pollution monitoring near concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for poultry. Those CAFOs are often located near and can pollute fenceline communities on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
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New Initiative Seeks to Secure Safe Drinking Water for Lower Eastern Shore Residents Who Rely on Private Wells
Today, the Assateague Coastal Trust, Center for Progressive Reform, Environmental Integrity Project, and University of Maryland School of Public Health launched a new initiative designed to assess and safeguard drinking water for residents of Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore who rely on private wells.
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Author(s): Brian Gumm
Biden Must Defend His Climate Policies from Industry Attack
A week after taking office, President Joe Biden issued an executive order “on tackling the climate crisis” that includes important measures to address the crisis comprehensively and equitably. Specifically, the order directs the federal government to take a “whole of government” approach to the climate crisis that pursues economic security, ensures environmental justice, and empowers workers. The beginning of such a plan is promising, particularly after four years under an administration that wiped the word “climate” from government websites, rolled back the Obama administration’s steps to address the crisis, and made fossil fuel production a centerpiece of its agenda. But it’s just that — a promising beginning. And it’s already under assault.
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Author(s): Karen Sokol
Voters Strongly Support Government Regulation to Protect Climate, Health, and Future Generations
A poll conducted by the Center for Progressive Reform (CPR) and Data for Progress in January 2021 finds broad public support for a progressive climate agenda that relies on regulatory action, even if it means slower economic growth. It also shows that the public opposes the process the government currently uses to assess the costs and benefits of regulations because it undervalues clean air, safe water, and a healthy climate. Poll results and analysis are available below.
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Author(s): James Goodwin
Joint Written Testimony to Maryland Legislators on Creating a Private Well Water Safety Program
CPR led the development of written testimony to the Maryland House Environment and Transportation Committee on HB 1069, a bill to create a private well water safety program in the state. Twenty-three organizations joined CPR in submitting the testimony.
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Legislation Needed to Protect Maryland Well Owners
If you’re one of roughly 2 million Marylanders whose drinking water comes from a private well, you or your property owner is responsible for maintaining the well and ensuring its water is safe — no exceptions. That’s because federal clean water laws don’t cover private wells or small water systems, and state-level protections vary dramatically. In Maryland, those protections are few and far between.
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Author(s): Darya Minovi
Localizing the Green Energy Revolution
As President Biden continues to roll out executive orders prioritizing climate change, it is increasingly clear that there will be a relatively rapid U.S. shift toward renewable energy from the sun, wind and other sources. Indeed, many states are already pushing ahead with ambitious renewable and clean energy policies. These policies will reduce air pollution, spur extensive economic development in rural areas and make progress on the climate front. This “revolution,” as Biden calls it, is critical. But the bulk of renewables that have been built in the United States are large, centralized projects requiring thousands of miles of transmission lines — primarily in rural communities. A revolution that continues to prioritize these projects risks failure.
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Author(s): Hannah Wiseman