Environment America Action Fund endorses election of 4 U.S. House candidates in California

For Immediate Release: October 29th, 2024

Contact: Mark Morgenstein, Media Relations Director, [email protected], 303-573-5556

DENVER, Colorado — Environment America Action Fund announced Tuesday that it is endorsing four congressional candidates in California: Rep. Jared Huffman for CA-02, state Assemblymember Luz Maria Rivas for CA-29, state Assemblymember Laura Friedman for CA-30, and Rep. Mike Levin for CA-49. 

Rep. Huffman is one of our nation’s top environmental champions. While in Congress, he has led the charge to protect the pristine wilderness in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from risks from oil drilling. Additionally, Rep. Huffman authored provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act to electrify the U.S. Postal Service fleet and support crucial agencies including the National Forest System and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He helped secure a twenty-year ban on new mining projects in a critical Oregon watershed and expanded a coastal national monument to include the beautiful sea bluffs and arches off the Mendocino Coast in Northern California. While he was in the California State Legislature, Huffman led the charge for clean water, energy efficiency and residential solar. We are proud to endorse Jared Huffman for Congress.

Environment America Action Fund is endorsing state Assemblymember Luz Rivas for Congress. She has been a strong defender of the environment and public health in her time in the California state legislature. Asm. Rivas authored a bill to protect California’s ocean from deep sea mining, stood up to plastic polluters to ensure the state’s plastic reduction law was the strongest in the world, and has supported renewable energy including residential rooftop solar, offshore wind and other climate solutions. We are excited to work with her on Capitol Hill.

Asm. Laura Friedman is one of the strongest environmental leaders in the California State Legislature. She led the effort to protect Monarch butterflies, supported wildlife crossings, and serves as a member of the California Global Biodiversity Working group that brought lawmakers and NGO leaders together to support the global campaign for more nature. She also championed clean energy, including residential rooftop solar and reducing plastic pollution from online shopping. We are thrilled to endorse Asm. Friedman for Congress. 

Rep. Mike Levin has a long history of committed environmentalism. Before running for Congress, he practiced environmental law and served as vice president for the clean tech startup Better Energy Systems. In Congress, Rep. Levin has worked to protect California’s coast from offshore drilling, nuclear waste and climate change. In 2022, he helped secure our nation’s biggest-ever investment in clean energy via the Inflation Reduction Act, where he helped secure provisions to protect public lands and address droughts. He is also the lead sponsor of the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act (H.R. 7634), which would stop the dumping and spilling of certain microplastics into our waterways. Advocacy like this is sorely needed in Congress, and therefore, Environment America Action Fund is endorsing Mike Levin for CA-49.

“California often leads the nation, and even the world, on environmental solutions,” said Wendy Wendlandt, Treasurer of Environment America Action Fund. “Representatives  Jared Huffman and Mike Levin have been longtime green champions, while state Assemblymembers Luz Rivas and Laura Friedman would also bring strong environmental records and expertise to the House. We hope to work with all of these candidates in the next Congress.”

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.