In this newsletter: Council in the Press | EPA Revokes Important Finding
Dem Climate Events | DEN Updates | Climate Council Meeting
Council on the Road | IRA Direct Pay Clean Energy Program
Council Listening Tour – Organize With Us | Quote of the Week

Hello Climate Activist,

I hope summer finds you well. Or as well as any of us can be given what is going on in this country.

We’ve had a busy summer at the Council with our Chair speaking to and organizing environmental and party leaders in Wisconsin, Arkansas, Philadelphia, Washington and many other places.

Because we know that organizing is how we are going to dig ourselves out of the hole the Trump Administration has put us in. We have to go everywhere. Meet with everyone. And organize in red states and blue states. We can leave no stone unturned. No voter untouched. No volunteer unappreciated. And that is what we are doing at the Council.

We have been working to hold Republicans accountable for their vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill and laying the groundwork for our 2026 electoral strategy. Because we must never back down on working against want-to-be dictators and unelected billionaires.

That is why we at the Council are doubling down in this moment. Below you will find some of what we’ve been up to. And we hope that you will join us at an event this fall.

Thank you for all you have done and will do,

DNC Environment and Climate Crisis Council Leadership Team

Michelle Deatrick (Chair), David Green (Vice Chair), Paul Presendieu (Youth Engagement Director), Allison Stephens (Black Engagement Director), Howard Chou (AAPI Engagement Director), Ruth Anna Buffalo (Native American Engagement Director)

🎤 COUNCIL IN THE PRESS: Chair Deatrick speaks with The Black Wall Street Times on Trump, Climate, and Collective Resistance

In Chair Deatrick’s interview with Andrew Sartain of The Black Wall Street Times, she makes clear the devastating harms that the Trump Administration’s Big Ugly Budget Bill will inflict on the health and safety of Americans. Michelle also emphasized the importance of collective community action and fighting back: “We have to fight back with everything we have.”

🚨 ALERTS: Trump’s Anti-Science, Anti-Health, Anti-Climate EPA Denies Connection between Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change

Trump’s hand-picked EPA head, Lee Zelden, is working double-time to formalize the Administration’s policy of Climate Denial and Misinformation. The Trump-Zelden EPA has denied the connection between burning fossil fuels and climate change – and announced a plan to revoke the EPA’s hard-won 2009 scientific finding that fossil-fueled greenhouse gases endanger our health and welfare.

That finding was called the “Endangerment Finding” because it found that fossil fuel greenhouse gases like methane (aka “natural gas”) and carbon dioxide endanger us. Without the Endangerment Finding in place, the EPA under any future president lacks the ability to hold Big Oil and Gas accountable and to regulate fossil fuel-fed emissions.

This terrible, immoral action follows close on the heels of the Trump administration’s announcement that it is shutting down the EPA’s research division – and firing hundreds of scientists who keep our air and water safe, track toxic chemicals, and protect our health and welfare.

Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman did a terrific segment on this disastrous move by Trump’s EPA.

💪 ACT FOR CLIMATE: Find or Host Events on the Council’s Organizing Map

On the Council’s Organizing Map, find or host an Environmental, Climate, Rural or Agriculture Event! Let’s put our words into action: We ARE the Party of Good Green Jobs. The Party of Clean Air and Water. The Party of a Sustainable Climate Future. The Council will publicize, and with a few days’ notice, provide graphics on request. Events can be virtual or in-person, held by grassroots, Democratic and other environmental groups. Find events across the country and online.

No event in your community? Our event host toolkit has information to get started.

🌱 UPDATES: Democratic Environmental Network (DEN)

Pennsylvania Democrats Establish Environmental Caucus, Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus Chair to Speak

We are excited to share that the Democratic Environmental Network is growing! The Pennsylvania Democratic Party has established a brand new PADEMS Climate Caucus. We are so grateful to Aissia Richardson for her dedicated leadership to make it so. More about Aissia in this July PADEMS Newsletter article.

We are also excited that newly elected Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus Chair Matthew Doll will be speaking at the Council’s upcoming meeting at the DNC Summer Meeting in Minneapolis!

💚 INVITE: Join us at the DNC Climate Council Meeting – Updates, Speakers, Panel on Environmental Messaging in Rural Areas

We would love to see you at the meeting of the DNC Climate Crisis Council during the DNC’s Summer Meeting in Minneapolis. In addition to the Council’s election of Officers, we have a great agenda planned: updates on the Council’s National Listening and Organizing Tour, speakers on Minnesota and Twin Cities environmental challenges and wins – and a panel discussion on Environmental Messaging in Rural Areas.  You must register using this form for the Council AND register with the DNC here. (Choose "guest”).

• Date/Time of Council meeting: Monday, August 25 Noon to 1:30pm.  

• Location: Hilton Minneapolis at 1001 South Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403. Rooms Marquette I,II,III

• Speakers (in order): 

  • Sharon Day, Indigenous Peoples Task Force Director

  • Peter Wagenius, Sierra Club North Star Legislative Director

  • Athena Hollins, MN State Representative

  • Mathew Doll, Minnesota DFL Environmental Caucus Chair 

  • Mary Kunesh, MN State Senator 

  • Kristi Pursell, MN State Representative

  • Ruth Anna Buffalo, DNC Climate Council Native Engagement Director & former ND State Representative

  • David Green, Howard Chou, Paul Presendieu: Council Officers and Directors

🌏 COUNCIL ON THE ROAD: PA, DC, OK, MI & WI

Pennsylvania: YDA National Convention – Presendieu Re-elected, Deatrick Honored

Congratulations to the DNC Climate Council’s Youth Director Paul Presendieu! Paul was unanimously re-elected as Chair of the YDA Environmental Caucus. He is an invaluable member of the Council’s leadership team, engaging and reaching out to youth organizations nationwide.

And congratulations to Chair Deatrick as well. Michelle was named a Lifetime Honorary YDA Member. And she was made an Honorary Lifetime Chair of the YDA Environmental Caucus! Deatrick spoke at the YDA Hispanic and Latinx Caucus, where she upheld climate and environmental justice as civil rights, and focused on the importance of movement building and continued activism.

DC: High School Democrats of America Summit – Council Chair Deatrick Speaks

At the High School Democrats of America Summit in Washington DC, Chair Michelle Deatrick was honored to be a keynote speaker. She spoke about the importance and value of youth organizing and advocacy and discussed the work of the DNC Climate Council and our ongoing close partnership with youth and youth environmental organizations.

Oklahoma: Council National Listening Tour Continues – Climate Conversations with Chair Deatrick and Western Region Advisor Ron Meehan

The Council’s Listening and Organizing Tour continued in Oklahoma, with three events statewide. Council Chair Deatrick and Western Region Advisor Ron Meehan heard from Oklahomans about the state’s environmental, rural and other issues. Attendees discussed drought, extreme storms and extreme heat, resistance to renewable energy, microplastics, PFAS, climate denialism, and data centers. With gratitude to the hosting organizations and elected leaders:

       Tulsa: Hosted by Sierra Club Oklahoma and the OK Democratic Party.

       Norman: Hosted by OK Representative Jared Deck and the OK

       Democratic Party.
       Stillwater: Hosted by the Young Democrats of OK, Payne County

       Democrats, and the OK Democratic Party.

Oklahoma: Democratic Convention – Chair Deatrick Speaks on

Fight Back Panel

At the Oklahoma Democratic Party Convention, on a panel moderated by Joshua Harris-Till, Deatrick spoke alongside Tennessee Rep. Justin Pearson and leaders from Planned Parenthood and the NAACP about how to fight back, resist and persist. Keynote Finale by Congressman Al Green.

Michigan: At EDF Action State Environmental Leaders Awards,

Chair Deatrick Honors Environmental Leaders

Environmental Defense Fund Action, an ally of the Council, recognized the hard work of environmental leaders in Michigan at this event, and invited Chair Deatrick to join in order to celebrate and honor leaders and volunteers in this Great Lakes state.

Wisconsin: Council Listening & Organizing Session with

Environmental Dems and Allies

Continuing the DNC Climate Council’s 2025 Listening Tour, Chair Michelle Deatrick met with Wisconsin legislators, farmers, environmental advocates and members of the Wisconsin Democratic Party Environmental Caucus. Concerns included extreme heat, tick-borne diseases, mining, contamination of soil and water, and environmental impacts of rural areas.

Wisconsin: Democratic Party Convention – Chair Deatrick Speaks at

Enviro Caucus & on Environmental Messaging in Rural Areas Panel

Wisconsin Democrats are organizing for a better future. Chair Deatrick spoke at the Environmental Caucus meeting and a training session on Environmental Messaging in Rural Communities. During the convention, the Environmental Caucus elected new leadership. Congratulations to new officers: Chair Vik Verma, Secretary/Treasurer Nancy Stencil, Vice Chair David Shorr, and At-Large Board Member Kejuane Jennings!

📆  RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: IRA’s Direct Pay Clean Energy Program from the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center

There’s still time for your community to benefit – but the clock is ticking, thanks (no thanks) to Trump. The Congressional Progressive Caucus has great resources here.

💬 ON TAP: Upcoming Events & DNC Climate Council Listening & Organizing in YOUR State

Find the Council’s Upcoming Events here.

DNC Climate Council Listening Tour. Request a Council speaker. The DNC Climate Council has launched our 2025-2026 Listening Tour. Listening to, amplifying and organizing around the challenges and concerns of Democratic state parties and environmental organizations, and all Democrats in our multiracial, multigenerational coalition, is crucial.

🗣️ QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Read the UN Secretary-General’s entire powerful July 22, 2025 speech here.