Environment California, Environment America endorse 5 Congressional candidates, Gov. Newsom

For Immediate Release: Sunday, October 30, 2022  

Contact: Laura Deehan, State Director, [email protected], 415-420-4710

Environment California, Environment America endorse 5 Congressional candidates, Gov. Newsom

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Environment California and its national office Environment America announced Sunday that they are endorsing Reps. Jared Huffman, Jimmy Panetta, Julia Brownley, Nannette Barragan and Mike Levin, and Gov. Gavin Newsom, for re-election.

“So often we hear that when it comes to environmental policy, as goes California, so goes the nation. We’re so fortunate to have a wealth of green champions representing us in both Washington D.C. and Sacramento,”  said Environment California State Director Laura Deehan. “Representatives Huffman, Panetta, Brownley, Barragan and Levin all have strong records of bringing Californian sensibility and ingenuity to national policy and Governor Newsom is building on the Golden State’s golden history of setting ambitious environmental benchmarks.”

Rep. Jared Huffman represents California’s 2nd Congressional District. Because of his perennially staunch work on clean energy and public lands, dating back to his time as a state legislator, Environment America has endorsed him in four out of the last five election cycles.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta represents California’s 19th Congressional District with pragmatic sensibility. In the bipartisan infrastructure bill, he spoke for the insects, getting funding for pollinator-friendy roadsides and protecting monarch butterflies. He did a video with Environment California about saving the monarchs. Panetta has also been a leader in advocating for oceans and e-bicycles. 

Rep. Julia Brownley represents California’s 26th Congressional District. Environment America has also endorsed her several times previously. This session she introduced bills to protect marine mammals and agricultural land from the adverse effects of climate change. In addition, she has been a leader on promoting clean cars and electric buses. 

Rep. Nannette Barragan represents California’s 44th Congressional District. She has sponsored a wide variety of bills with an environmental focus, including a bill to help develop and expand outdoor recreational areas, a bill to increase electric vehicle sharing programs in public housing communities, and a bill designed to reduce climate pollution at ports. 

Rep. Mike Levin, a member of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, represents California’s 49th Congressional District. Environment America is endorsing him for the third straight election. He is a reliable vote on key environmental issues, especially offshore drilling, nuclear safety and solar power.

Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested a set of ambitious climate proposals to the California Legislature this past summer — and when lawmakers turned them into bills, almost all of them passed. The new laws include setting a goal for 90% of the state’s electricity to come from clean sources by 2035; prohibiting new oil drilling within 3,200 feet of the places where Californians live, work, eat, shop, worship and go to school; setting goals for removing global-warming carbon from our air and putting the state on track for carbon neutrality by 2045. 

Environment America is a national network of 30 state environmental groups. Our staff work together for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members across the United States put grassroots support behind our research and advocacy. 

Environment America is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.

Environment America Action Fund works to protect our environment by supporting candidates for public office who champion clean air, clean water, wilderness preservation, and strong action to prevent global warming. The Environment America Action Fund is a part of the Environment America family of organizations.