It's the 11th hour for climate and Congress

Gregg Small

September 20, 2021

We all know the weather is getting weirder and worse. Pollution from fossil fuels is fueling the climate crisis. Yet while things seem to be getting worse, we also know there is a window of time right now when we can still make a big positive difference in the climate math.

But we need our elected leaders to act boldly to protect our lungs, clean up carbon pollution, and create good-paying and clean ways to get around in our communities. After a long drought inside the Beltway, Congress is poised to vote on the largest investments in climate solutions in our nation’s history to move our country beyond fossil fuels.

Your congressional delegation needs to hear from you now if they’re going to lean into the pushback from the fossil fuel industry.

What’s at stake? Over $3 trillion in investments for a healthy future. Commitments to move the entire country a lot closer to a grid powered by 100% clean electricity. Investments to ensure our homes and buildings where we live, work, learn and play are also safe and fossil free. And critically - making sure those solutions are affordable and accessible to all households.

Contact your members of Congress now to pass a strong budget that invests $3.5 trillion into our economy, communities and climate stability.

The Clean Electricity Payment Program proposed in the current budget reconciliation bill will put us on a path to 80% clean electricity across the country by 2030 and 100% clean by 2035 while creating a million net new jobs, modernizing the grid and protecting ratepayers. The Pacific Northwest is leading, passing some of the strongest laws in the land to commit our region to 100% clean electricity. Now it’s time for Congress to step up and make it happen at the federal level.

The latest climate science report named the truth: the way out of the climate crisis is to have every level of government act to accelerate solutions at scale in our society. Fossil fuel industries are doing all they can to try and stop these needed solutions, that are working now, from happening in D.C. With enough public pressure, our leaders will follow and do what’s right and necessary, not politically safe.

As a bonus after you take this action: we’ll send you the details for a special zoom rally happening this Thursday with Washington State's Governor Inslee and other leaders from around the country. Tune in and you’ll get an update on what’s happening and how else to help with this critical opportunity!

Author Bio

Gregg Small

Executive Director, Climate Solutions

Gregg brings more than 30 years of experience working on climate, environmental, and public policy issues, including more than 25 as an Executive Director. At Climate Solutions, Gregg oversees a staff of more than three dozen policy experts, campaigners, innovators, and researchers across Washington and Oregon, providing strategic direction for one of the most effective regional climate and clean economy organizations in the nation. Under his leadership, Climate Solutions and our many allies have successfully passed some of the best climate policies in the United States.

Prior to coming to Climate Solutions, Gregg served as the Executive Director of Toxic-Free Future for 7 years and as the Executive Director of the California-based Pesticide Watch for 5 years. During that time, he played a leadership role in creating and developing a number of leading coalitions working on environmental health issues in Washington state and nationally. At Climate Solutions, he helped to found the Washington-based Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy and Renew Oregon, and has served on the executive committee of multiple statewide climate change ballot measure campaigns including Yes on I-1631 in 2018 and No on I-2117 in 2024.

Gregg began his professional career in 1993 as an organizer for Green Corps, working in Washington, DC, Vermont, and California. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College.

When not at work, Gregg spends time with his family and raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that his son Jude has and that he is passionate about finding a cure for.