Environment America announces new push for 100% renewable energy in a dozen states in 2022

Media Contacts
Emma Searson

Josh Chetwynd

National group redoubles multistate campaign to repower states with clean renewable energy

Environment America

BOSTON — The national organization Environment America launched its 2022 campaign for 100% renewable energy in 12 states on Thursday. As policymakers across the country craft their legislative priorities, the group will make the case that state-level commitments to 100% clean and renewable power should be a top priority for lawmakers in 2022. 

“The sooner states commit to 100% clean renewable energy, the sooner we will eliminate pollution that makes our kids sick and dangerously warms our planet,” said Johanna Neumann, senior director of Environment America’s Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy. “Setting the course to 100% renewable energy should top the to-do list for lawmakers in 2022.” 

In 2022, Environment America and its in-state partner groups will campaign for 100% clean or renewable goals in 11 states: Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin. In one additional state, California, the organization will campaign for an accelerated timeline for the state’s transition to 100% clean energy. 

“States are the pioneers of renewable energy in America,” Neumann said. “We owe the remarkable clean energy growth we’re seeing today to states that took the lead over the last decade. By setting bold goals and creating the space for renewables to thrive, those pioneering states have brought the vision of a future powered entirely by clean renewable energy into the mainstream.” 

Environment America and its state network launched its 100% Renewable Campaign in 2018 and played a key role in securing California’s landmark commitment to 100% clean electricity that same year. Since then, the organization has also helped convince New Mexico, Maine, Washington, Virginia and Oregon to make commitments to 100% clean or renewable electricity. With nine states in total currently with 100% pledges to date, the group will continue to press for additional binding statewide commitments that include meaningful interim targets for growing renewables. 

“We’re seeing renewable energy take off from coast to coast because it just makes sense,” said Emma Searson, Environment America’s 100% Renewable Campaign director. “We’re starting the new year with the technology and capacity to repower this country with clean energy at our fingertips. When I think about where we’ll be 12 months from now, I envision more states setting their sights on 100% clean energy, renewable energy development soaring at record levels, and supportive policies at every level of government helping make it all happen.”

The following groups and staff are playing key roles promoting 100% clean and renewable energy in their states. They are available for additional information and interviews:

California

Laura Deehan, (415) 420-4710, [email protected], is the director of Environment California. Environment California is calling on the governor and state legislature to accelerate California’s transition to clean energy by moving its existing 100% clean energy target up from 2045 to 2030. 

Colorado

Rex Wilmouth, (303) 573-7474, [email protected], is the Senior Program Director for Environment Colorado. Environment Colorado supports a statewide legislative commitment to 100% clean and renewable electricity, codifying the goals in Gov. Polis’s 2019 Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy by 2040 and Bold Climate Action.

Connecticut

Chris Phelps, (860) 231-8842, [email protected], is the director of Environment Connecticut. Environment Connecticut is supporting legislation to get 100% of Connecticut’s electricity from clean sources by 2040.

Florida

Katie Moffitt, (480) 532-1660, [email protected], is the 100% Renewable campaign associate for Environment Florida as well as for Environment America. Environment Florida helped introduce State Renewable Energy Goals (HB283) and a companion renewable energy bill (SB720) that set a target for the state to get its electricity from renewable energy by 2040 and reduce the state’s carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050. The group is also encouraging local governments, colleges and universities and other major energy users to commit to transitioning to 100% renewable energy.

Georgia

Jennette Gayer, (404) 370-1764, [email protected], is the director of Environment Georgia. Environment Georgia is driving the adoption and implementation of 100% clean and renewable energy commitments in many of Georgia’s largest cities and is also helping to move legislation supporting a statewide transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050 (HR 70).

Massachusetts

Ben Hellerstein, (617) 747-4368, [email protected], is the director of Environment Massachusetts. This session, Hellerstein and allies are supporting the 100% Clean Act, filed by state Reps. Marjorie Decker and Sean Garballey. The bill will put Massachusetts on track to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035 and 100% clean energy for heating and transportation by 2045. So far, 88 state representatives and senators have endorsed the bill.

New Jersey

​​Doug O’Malley, (917) 449-6812, [email protected], is the director of Environment New Jersey. Environment New Jersey supports the reintroduction of the previous Senate Bill 1405. Championed by state Sens. Patrick Diegnan, the legislation would commit New Jersey to reaching 100% clean renewable electricity statewide by 2035. The bill comes as part of an effort to implement the state Global Warming Response Act (GWRA), which requires a 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

North Carolina

Krista Early, 703-598-5265, [email protected], is an advocate at Environment North Carolina. Environment North Carolina is supporting legislation that calls for 100% renewable energy by 2050. 

Pennsylvania

David Masur, (267) 303-8292, [email protected], is the executive director of PennEnvironment. This session, state legislators reintroduced legislation in both the House and Senate to transition the commonwealth to 100% renewable energy by 2050. State Rep. Chris Rabb has championed the bill since its initial introduction in 2018 and is sponsoring the House version once again. Last session, the bill was co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 100 legislators.

Rhode Island 

Emma Searson, (828) 545-7300, [email protected], is the 100% Renewable campaign director for Environment Rhode Island as well as for Environment America. In 2021, Environment Rhode Island advocated for the passage of the Renewable Energy Standard Act, which would have codified the goal of meeting all of the state’s electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030 established by Gov. Gina Raimondo via an executive order in 2020. The state Senate passed the bill in June, but the House did not follow suit. Environment Rhode Island supports the reintroduction and passage of similar legislation in 2022.

Texas

Luke Metzger, (512) 743-8257, [email protected], is the executive director of Environment Texas. Environment Texas supports a statewide commitment to 100% clean and renewable electricity. The group is fighting efforts in the PUC to make renewable energy more expensive and is working to get Texas cities in the deregulated electric market to offer a public option to residents to get 100% renewable electricity.

Wisconsin

Megan Severson, (608) 385-9946, [email protected], is the director of Wisconsin Environment. Wisconsin Environment is encouraging the state, along with local governments and major energy users, to transition to 100% renewable energy.

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