January, 2021

by Jonathan Lacock-Nisly, Federal Policy Associate

This was meant to be a review of IPL’s policy work in 2020, but the first few weeks of 2021 have provided enough happenings for a year already. Since the January 6th attack on the Capitol, undertaken by a mob including white supremacists and encouraged by President Trump, Interfaith Power & Light has called for the President to resign or be removed from office. The world that we seek to achieve—a world of racial justice and climate justice, a world where we care for our neighbors and Creation—cannot be achieved unless we successfully reject this attack on our democracy. You can add your voice to that call here.

 

Climate and Environment in Covid Relief

Another important update from the past month, before we go back to the beginning of 2020, concerns the environmental provisions included in the combined Covid relief and federal budget bill passed into law at the end of December. After months of advocacy from IPL, state affiliates, and people of faith across the country, Congress passed funding for extended unemployment insurance, rental assistance, and more. You can read about the non-environmental components of that relief here.

 

The environment and climate section of the bill included:

-A deal to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a climate super polluter currently used to make air conditioners and refrigerants

-Extensions for the solar, wind, and energy efficiency tax credits at current levels. (A tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration was also extended.)

-$14 billion in aid for local public transit systems, and $1 billion for Amtrak

-The Weatherization Assistance Program funded at $330 million for 2021, and then $350 million for 2022-25 (compared to $257 million in 2019)

-$25 billion in rental assistance that can also be used for utilities

-$638 million for low-income water and sewer customer assistance in the form of block grants to state and Tribal governments

 

Advocates working at the state and local level should look out for opportunities to shape policies around how the rental/utility assistance and water block grants are spent. States and tribes will have considerable power in deciding how to structure and prioritize those programs.

 

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get those provisions included. And of course, there’s still plenty left to do—President-elect Biden will be crafting his own Covid bill aimed at a longer term recovery, and Congress will be considering an infrastructure bill that is likely to closely resemble the Moving Forward Act (HR 2) that passed the House last year. Both of these bills will offer opportunities to continue working for clean energy, environmental justice, utility assistance, public transit, and more. See the FAITH Principles and Policies document, signed by over two dozen national religious organizations, for guidance in meeting with your elected officials.

 

With that out of the way, we’ll go back to…

 

Early 2020

Around this time a year ago, when our biggest public health concern was flu season, we were supporting an energy efficiency package put together by Sen. Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Manchin (D-WV). The package brought together about 50 bipartisan energy bills, including the extension of clean energy tax credits. The Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act, a top IPL priority that would provide funding for houses of worship and other nonprofits to purchase solar panels, was also included.

 

However, the inclusion of a deal to phase out HFCs (very similar to the one that ended up passing in December), ultimately turned some Senate Republicans against the bill. The package still had the support of over 60 senators, but then-Majority Leader McConnell refused to allow a vote. Efforts to reach an agreement were interrupted by…

 

The Pandemic

Like everyone, it took some time for IPL to figure out our new role in a global pandemic. Our faith leaders were tending to immediate needs in their communities, our opportunities for in-person organizing disappeared, and Congress needed time to figure out what a lobby meeting without a hand shake would look like.

 

Yet we adapted, and we began to understand what our role would be in this pandemic. We learned how local air pollution from fossil fuels contributes to Covid deaths, and because of our country’s history of environmental racism, how those deaths disproportionately happen in majority Black neighborhoods.

 

The police killing of George Floyd, the subsequent uprising for Black lives, and a nation-wide refocusing on racial justice reinforced our efforts on environmental justice. We cannot achieve racial justice without environmental justice, and we cannot stop the climate crisis without uprooting the systems that permit environmental racism.

 

IPL worked with other faith and environmental organizations to craft letters to Congress outlining our priorities for Covid relief, including:

-Prioritizing environmental justice communities for funds and immediate pollution protection

-Stopping utility shut-offs, providing utility bill assistance, and funding low-income weatherization assistance

-Investing in clean energy as a form of job creation

-Ensuring relief funds didn’t go to the fossil fuel companies making this health crisis worse

-Providing funds for vote-by-mail to ensure that everyone could safely participate in our democracy

 

IPL affiliates and people of faith across the country joined us in calling, writing, and tweeting their support for these priorities. Over the spring and summer, we had dozens of meetings with congressional offices to highlight the need for action. The House passed several versions of the Heroes Act, which included many of our asks. The Senate, however, failed to act for months, until it became clear that no legislation would have time to pass before…

 

The Election

Throughout the year, IPL and affiliates advocated for fair elections that allowed everyone to cast their vote safely through early voting and voting by mail. And with our Faith Climate Justice Voter Campaign, we contacted over 1.1 million people of faith and urged them to vote with the climate in their hearts. Some more specifics from that campaign include:

 

-Texting over 250,000 infrequent voters of faith who are alarmed about climate change in Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, and North Carolina

-Distributing 15,000+ multi-issue values voter guides, which included climate action and care for -Creating as a key values voter issue

-Collecting 6,400+ pledges to vote with climate justice and Creation in mind

-Inspiring 1,296 climate pledge signers to also get three friends to vote

-Reaching millions of people through dozens of media articles in religious and mainstream outlets, from Forbes to the National Catholic Reporter to New Hampshire Public News.

 

The Faith Climate Justice Voter Campaign and Georgia IPL engaged again for the Georgia run-off elections on January 5th, encouraging people of faith to vote early and with the climate in mind.

 

With the victory of Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Democrats now hold a tie breaking vote in the Senate, a slim majority in the House, and the White House. As mentioned above, the coming months will present opportunities for more progress on climate and environmental justice priorities through Covid recovery and infrastructure bills, shaped by our FAITH Principles and Policies. The new Congress and President-elect Biden have heard a clear call from people of faith to act on climate in 2021.

 

With your help, we plan to ensure they do just that.

Top 6 faith + climate events of 2020

6. March 2020: COVID Pandemic shows how we are all interconnected. It also provides a terrifying preview of the disease spread that could occur as global warming worsens. Meanwhile, the drastic curtailment in travel cuts emissions and gives parts of nature a much-needed break from human presence.

 

5. June 2020: Uprisings for Racial Justice around the country underscore that systemic racism cannot be disconnected from climate change impacts and climate justice. Pollution and the impacts of global warming have always disproportionately harmed communities of color, and consensus that climate solutions must be centered in justice for frontline communities builds.

 

4. August 2020: Presidential candidates showcase their faith, and expand on their pro-climate agendas, most notably Cory Booker (Baptist), Pete Buttigieg (Episcopalian) and Joe Biden (Catholic). Joe Biden seals the Democratic nomination with the support of African Americans, particularly southern Black leaders who find him the most trustworthy champion of their rights and values.

 

3. October 2020: Massive wildfires in the West and record number of hurricanes in the Atlantic demonstrate nature’s awesome power, while we knowingly ignore our planet’s life support systems. Churches and other faith communities step up to provide support to evacuees and storm victims.

 

2. November 2020: Biden and Harris win the White House pledging climate justice and to put the U.S. on a path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to promising to re-join the Paris climate accord on Day 1, the President-elect begins to put together an experienced climate team, with appointments announced for a new international climate envoy (John Kerry), domestic climate policy advisor (Gina McCarthy), and similarly capable EPA, Energy, Interior, and Transportation picks.

 

1. December 2020: COVID Relief bill includes provisions to expand renewable energy, shore up Amtrak and local transit systems, cut super-pollutants, and protect Americans from utility shutoffs. In all it’s the most significant climate and energy legislation passed by Congress in more than a decade.  A hopeful note on which to end the year!

 

 

Interfaith Power & Light’s 2020 Faith Climate Justice Voter Campaign helped mobilize faith voters to vote their values of caring for Creation and loving our neighbors. Thank you to all who were part of our historic 2020 faith-climate justice voter mobilization campaign! 

Together with our state affiliates in AZ, MN, WI, MI, NH, VA, and NC, and our faith partners we contacted over 1.1 million voters of faith to urge them to vote with climate in mind. 

Interfaith Power & Light’s campaign:

• Texted over 250,000 infrequent voters of faith who are alarmed about climate change in Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, and North Carolina   
• Distributed 15,000+ multi-issue values voter guides, which included climate action and care for Creation as a key values voter issue
• Collected 6,400+ pledges to vote with climate justice and Creation in mind
• Inspired 1,296 climate pledge signers to also get three friends to vote
• Reached millions of people through dozens of media articles in religious and mainstream outlets, from Forbes to the National Catholic Reporter to New Hampshire Public News.

Thank you to all the volunteers across the IPL network who had a hand in helping us achieve these numbers! You made this possible.

You texted voters, distributed voter reflection guides, hosted events and activities at your congregations, shared social media content, wrote op-eds and letters to the editor, chalked sidewalks in front of your congregations, recorded videos of why you were voting your values, collected pledge postcards, registered voters, and more!

Thank you for your faithful witness during this election season. 

Americans voted at record high levels-it’s clear that climate was an important issue in this election. Now we turn our attention to calling on our elected officials to act. Pledge to join with other people of faith to demand that it’s time to act on climate change and sign up to get involved.

 

 

We all want clear skies overhead; especially after the intense wildfire and hurricane seasons we are experiencing this year. And we’d all like clear skies AHEAD when it comes to climate action.

If your congregation has taken steps to clear the skies, enter by December 15 to win $1,000 in the IPL Cool Congregations Challenge, Interfaith Power & Light’s annual contest to award congregations for their efforts to care for Creation.

Normally only projects completed in the past year are accepted, but because of COVID things are different.

IPL recognizes the difficulties caused by COVID – plans to upgrade properties to save energy have been postponed, and congregational administrative offices have been closed making it difficult to access records. So IPL is expanding the project eligibility window to include 2018, 2019, and 2020. If you have applied for projects ending in those years before, you may enter again, as long as you did not win. 

IPL congregations across the nation have already reduced their carbon emissions or engaged their communities in climate resilience. Some congregations have gotten an energy audit and are making plans; some are managing their grounds sustainably. IPL’s Cool Congregations Challenge supports and honors you, wherever your congregation has focused its’ efforts to care for Creation. 

Click here to enter the Challenge or to download the entry guide today, for a chance to win $1,000 in each of the five entry categories.

There are five entry categories:

Energy Saver: Lighting, Insulation, Windows & Doors, Heating & Cooling Systems

Renewable Role Model: Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Solar Water Heating

Sacred Grounds: Native landscaping, Organic Gardening, Water Conservation, Bike Racks, Wildlife Habitats, Recycling & Composting

Community Inspiration: Inspiring Congregants to Reduce at Home, Helping Communities Transition from Fossil Fuels to Clean Energy, Helping Communities Prepare for the Impacts of Climate Change

Cool Congregations Planner: Audits, Planning Reports, Fundraising – Consider applying for this category if your plans for 2020 were waylaid by COVID.

Projects can take place inside the worship space or other buildings, on the grounds, in congregants’ homes, or in the community.

So even if you have applied before – as long as you did not win – you may enter your projects completed in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Click here to enter the Challenge or download your entry guide today. It includes all of the details, as well as a flyer to get your green team excited about entering, inspirational stories of past winners, and links to the entry form. Entry deadline December 15.

A BIG THANK YOU to the stellar line up of judges this year:

Jerry Lawson, National Manager of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Small Business & Congregations

Mikelann Scerbo, Research Manager, Alliance for Saving Energy

Hannah Bastian, Research Analyst, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy​ 

Ryan Snow, Director, Market Transformation + Development, U.S. Green Building Council

Jerry Bernstein, IPL National Special Projects Manager

Dara Bortman, Sr VP of Marketing/Sales of Exact Solar, and Board Director, American Solar Energy Society

Gregory Lopez, IPL National Board Member

Ashaki Scott, IPL National Staff

Carla Ellern, IPL DMV supporter, Registered Landscape Architect with Lila Fendrick Landscape Architects

Tim Darst, Retired Executive Director of Kentucky IPL

Rev. John Schleicher of Grand Ledge, MI 

By Rev. John Schleicher, Michigan IPL board chair

A poll conducted on October 13 by Climate Nexus in partnership with Yale and George Mason Universities found that voters of faith, including evangelical and mainline Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and religiously unaffiliated voters, overwhelmingly care about the effects of climate change and want to see the President and Congress in 2021 act to boldly support climate solutions.

To me this poll points to a growing majority of people in religious communities in our country who believe a) that the earth, especially its poor, its land and waters and animals, is suffering and dying prematurely because of human caused climate change but also believe b) that the President and Congress in 2021 should and could be among God’s bold agents of relief, renewal, and restoration.

To me it also suggests that many people of faith agree with the vast majority of scientists and with the young people of our time that we have a very limited time, perhaps now eight years or less, to limit if not begin to reverse the increasing suffering and devastation of the unprecedented numbers of wildfires, droughts, flooding, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

It is always the poor, the land, the water, the animals, and, I would add, our children and grandchildren, who are and will be most immediately affected, all for whom the majority of people of faith in the religious groups surveyed believe God is especially concerned, all for whom the President and the Congress in 2021, whomever is elected, should provide strong leadership, financial investment, and support.

During my 50+ plus years of pastoral ministry, I witnessed the strip-mined land and the orange colored streams in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the toxic air in Detroit, the extreme drought and violent storms in numerous trips to Honduras, and, mostly recently, the inability for farmers to plant crops in 2019 due to unrelenting spring rains in much of Eaton County where my wife, Phylis, and I now live.

It is the poor, the land, the water, and the animals who are prematurely suffering and dying. It is our children and grandchildren who next will share this fate. But people of faith believe that those chosen to be our political leaders, can and should be agents of God’s relief, renewal and restoration.

 

Rev. John Schleicher is a bishop emeritus of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He currently serves as board president of Michigan Interfaith Power and Light.