Evergreen Collaborative's @lenamdc.bsky.social joined 13 News Now to talk about what's behind an issue Virginians are all too familiar with - sky high power bills.
Evergreen Action
@evergreenaction.bsky.social
Turning climate ambition into policy wins, state by state.
Electricity bills spiked 10% last year — 20% in some states. Three culprits: Big Tech data centers straining the grid, monopoly utilities pocketing record profits, and over-reliance on volatile gas. States have the tools to fight back. Here's how 👇 www.evergreencollaborative.com/news/clean-e...
Clean Energy Is Cheap Energy: How States Can Rein In Sky-High Electric Bills - Evergreen Collaborative
Three culprits are driving bills higher: Big Tech data centers, utility profits, and natural gas prices. Here's what state leaders can do about all three.
evergreencollaborative.com
Transportation is the 2nd-largest expense for most households — and the average family spends more on gasoline than on home gas + electricity combined. States can drive down costs by making EVs more accessible, building near transit, and funding transit reliably. New 👇
How States Can Drive Down Transportation Costs and Leave High Gas Prices in the Rearview - Evergreen Collaborative
State leaders can lower transportation costs by making cleaner, cheaper vehicles more accessible, ensuring communities are built in ways that reduce the need to drive, and investing in public transit.
evergreencollaborative.com
Housing costs and energy costs aren't two separate problems. They're one. 42 million households spend more than 30% of income on housing—and the homes they can afford are usually the most expensive to heat and cool. New from Evergreen Collaborative: how states can tackle both at once.
Abundant, Efficient, and Affordable Homes: How States Can Lower Housing and Energy Costs At the Same Time - Evergreen Collaborative
Housing and energy costs are two sides of the same affordability crisis. Learn more about how states can address both at the same time.
evergreencollaborative.com
Wisconsin electric bills are up more than 20% in five years. Data centers will make it worse. Clean energy requirements can protect families.
Tell Wisconsin lawmakers to protect ratepayers from rising energy costs
A surge in massive data centers is driving up energy demand, leaving families with higher utility bills. By requiring data centers to fund their own clean energy supply, Wisconsin lawmakers can…
actnow.evergreenaction.com
Affordability vs. climate is a false choice, and 11 states are already proving it. Cheaper power. More homes. Cheaper ways to get around. Less pollution. New from Evergreen Collaborative, a cross-state playbook for legislators, govs, and regulators: 🔗
Affordable, Clean, Reliable American Energy: A Guide for States - Evergreen Collaborative
With these common-sense actions, we can cut costs and pollution at the same time, delivering benefits for consumers and the climate alike.
evergreencollaborative.com
"We pay more, Republicans rubber-stamp it, and Trump's donors walk off with the bag." — @govjayinslee.bsky.social The Trump energy plan: — $2.7B paid to wind companies to not build — $1.13B poured into coal — Will cost ratepayers $3.12B+ by 2028 — Coal generation costs 28% more than it did in 2021
‘He’s forcing higher bills’: Trump spends billions to kill clean energy and keep coal alive
Critics accuse president of ‘fattening the wallets of his cronies’ as working Americans face higher energy rates
theguardian.com
Wisconsin regulators say electricity demand could jump 40% by 2032, mostly to power Big Tech data centers. To meet it, Wisconsin needs to ramp up the cheapest, quickest sources to deploy: wind and solar paired with battery storage. www.thecentersquare.com/wisconsin/ar...
Wisconsin utility regulators expect 40% spike in energy demand by 2032
(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s data center building boom is driving the need for more electricity in the state.
thecentersquare.com
Gas utilities don’t just charge you for the amount of gas you use. They also charge you to expand the gas system for new customers, making profit along the way. Here’s how it works 🧵 [1/9 →]
🚨Historic news: New Jersey’s landmark energy affordability package is now law. This first-of-its-kind package shows the country how to lower costs and hold Big Tech accountable by incentivizing data centers to bring their own new, clean power. www.evergreenaction.com/news/governo...
Governor Sherrill Signs Landmark Energy Affordability Legislative Package to Lower Costs for Garden State Families - Evergreen Action
“When Governor Sherrill was elected, she promised to fight to lower energy costs for Garden State families. Today, she’s delivering on that promise—and establishing New Jersey as the national model fo...
evergreenaction.com
This record-setting heat wave showed why Maryland must invest in healthier, more resilient and affordable homes. With $84 million dollars available, @govwesmoore.bsky.social can do so by implementing Clean Heat Rules and deliver efficient heat pumps, which provide summer cooling and winter heat.
FIFA is between a rock -- climate change -- and a hard place -- summer weather -- for the July 4th match in Philly between #France & #Paraguay #WorldCup #FIFAWorldCup #FIFAWorldCup2026
The 250 year history of the United States is a story of warming. Luckily, it's also a story of innovation, of beating the odds, and of doing what must be done. Unless we act now, the next 250 years will be worse.
JUST IN: New Jersey state legislators just passed a package that tackles rising energy costs by expanding clean energy, strengthening utility oversight, and creating the nation's first data center tariff to incentivize Bring Your Own New Clean Energy. www.evergreenaction.com/news/new-jer...
New Jersey Lawmakers Take on Rising Energy Costs with Landmark Legislative Package - Evergreen Action
New Jersey legislators have answered Governor Sherrill’s call to action with bold, meaningful legislation that will lower costs for families across the state.
evergreenaction.com
You think gas bills pay for gas - but they're really paying for pipes! New @sfchronicle.com op-ed from @spur-urbanist.bsky.social's Sam Fishman on why the @airdistrict.bsky.social's clean appliance standards can help lower bills with electric appliances. www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
Mad about the Bay Area gas water heater ban? Here’s what you need to know
OPINION: Every year we delay the electric transition, more money flows from Bay Area households into gas infrastructure that fewer and fewer people are using, Sam Fishman writes.
sfchronicle.com
NYC is facing dangerous heat this week. We know that climate change is making heat waves hotter more common. But we also know that one of our best climate solutions is producing at full output right now and banking more for later: Solar ☀️🔋
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@mayor.nyc.gov · last mo.
Why waste hundreds of millions of dollars every year replacing old gas service lines? The Home Energy Choice Act makes utilities offer Californians another option: electrify their homes with $$$ that would be spent replacing gas service lines. Read @missionvespa.bsky.social's blog bit.ly/4aDSYLJ
Californians Deserve to Choose the Energy Source for their Homes — a New Bill Would Give Them the Freedom and Funds to Do So
The Home Energy Choice Act (AB 2313) is the biggest no-brainer of the state legislative session
bit.ly
D.C. just sent a message that it wants a climate champion as its next mayor. Janeese Lewis George fought to hold polluters accountable and keep D.C. buildings fossil fuel-free. Now she's poised to lead the city sitting right at Trump's doorstep. Congratulations, @janeese4dc.bsky.social!
"The report, from @synapseenergy.bsky.social said the proposed policy reforms could reduce household electricity costs by an average of $197 in 2027 alone and deliver an estimated $2.4 billion in cost savings statewide by 2030." insideclimatenews.org/news/1106202...
"Oracle is worth more than half a trillion dollars and has the audacity to ask Wisconsin families to cover its future losses." – @courtbrady.bsky.social www.wispolitics.com/2026/evergre...
Trump Fossil Fuel Corruption Corruption 🤝 buff.ly/86TNawX
POLITICO Pro: ‘This is not normal’: Trump leans on MAGA organizer to revive coal
The Energy Department is giving millions to a company partially led by a far-right activist and telecom executive to build the nation’s first coal-fired power plant since 2013.
subscriber.politicopro.com
$841 per year. That's what Pennsylvania families stand to save by 2030 if we chart a new course powered by clean energy. Because clean energy is cheap energy.
For first time, Americans are getting more of their electricity from solar than coal
For first time, Americans are getting more of their electricity from solar than coal
Solar provides more than twice the share of electricity it did five years ago.
dlvr.it
NEW: Pennsylvania lawmakers could help save families $841/year on electricity bills. The path is clear: ⚡ More low-cost clean energy 🏠 More rooftop solar & batteries 💰 Reign-in utility profits Read more here ⬇️
"Spending $700 million to bail out the coal industry is like throwing a lifeline to a ship that has already sunk," – @LenaMDC.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cl...
x.com
"The market has already rejected coal as cheaper, cleaner alternatives continue to outcompete the most expensive, dirty fuel source," – @LenaMDC.bsky.social www.enr.com/articles/631...
“Trump is handing out taxpayer money to coal barons and leaving us with nothing but higher energy costs.” – @lenamdc.bsky.social michiganadvance.com/2026/06/04/r...
Trump to pump $700M into coal power in the states, as he again blasts renewable energy • Michigan Advance
The federal government will spend $700 million on building or refurbishing coal power infrastructure across the country in a boost to “clean, beautiful coal,” President Donald Trump said Thursday in…
buff.ly
"Eric Miller [Evergreen's Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Director] said he believes reactivating the plant won’t help bring energy prices down for PJM. In fact, if it produces more expensive energy than other resources, it could help keep energy prices high." buff.ly/ckQFy0G
Trump plan would reopen Western Maryland coal plant - Maryland Matters
President Donald Trump announced $700 million in investments on Thursday to fortify existing coal-fired power plants, build new ones — and restart the retired Warrior Run coal-fired plant in Allegany…
buff.ly
"The market has already rejected coal as cheaper, cleaner alternatives continue to outcompete the most expensive, dirty fuel source" - @lenamdc.bsky.social thedailyrecord.com/2026/06/04/t...
Trump to restart MD coal plant with federal funds
Millions in federal funds will be used to restart Allegany County’s AES Warrior Run coal plant, President Donald Trump announced.
thedailyrecord.com
Reopening MD's coal plant would override the state's clean energy policies to prop up an costly fossil fuel facility. AES should redevelop the site into grid-scale battery storage—boosting reliability and affordability without more pollution. actnow.evergreenaction.com/page/94561/p...
Tell the President and his DOE: Stop Forcing Us to Pay for Failing Coal Plants
The Trump administration is spending $625 MILLION in our taxpayer money to prop up outdated coal plants. At a time when families are stretched thin, no one should be forced to subsidize failing coal…
actnow.evergreenaction.com