SEEC Hosts “Federal Fire, Local Heat” Emergency Strategy Session on Earth Day 2026
Washington, D.C. – The House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) hosted a “Federal Fire, Local Heat” emergency strategy session for Earth Day 2026. Members of Congress, climate leaders, organizers, and change-makers at the front lines of the climate fight convened in this key moment to align priorities in the midst of the Trump Administration's attacks on the health and well-being of our families, corrupt attempts to deliver for polluters over people, and blatant efforts to override American democracy.
WATCH: The full session here
“Happy 56th Earth Day. April 1970 — the first Earth Day — there was 325 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and now we’re at 430 parts per million. In 1970, the average temperature on the planet was 51.6 degrees Fahrenheit; last year it was 57.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Global sea levels are six inches higher on average than they were in the 1970s, on the first Earth Day. Those numbers are all super scary,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06). “My biggest message, particularly to the youngest folks here, is the spirit of that first Earth Day was to be bone-curdlingly honest about the reality of what had happened to our planet. But at the same time, energize folks to act, that we all have agency in this, and the worst thing we can do is to be paralyzed by fear. And that the hope is that it is in our interest to make the transition, we know how to make the transition, and we have lots of people with good moral character who are prepared to make the transition.”
“Today is Earth Day, and Earth Day is different this year, because for the first time in 16 years, the Environmental Protection Agency no longer acknowledges that greenhouse gases endanger public health,” said Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Ranking Member Senator Edward Markey (MA). “By repealing the endangerment finding, the Trump Administration is now presenting a clear and present danger to the public, because climate denial costs lives. That is the dangerous place in which American citizens have now been placed, and a statement that ridiculous doesn’t just endanger our health, it endangers our common sense.”
“This is a story that is rife with villains, and we need to start talking about the climate denial fraud operation, the dark money corruption operation, and call those things out,” said Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI). “We know now that because of the time we wasted thanks to all of that fraud and corruption, we now have to narrow our focus to what is truly essential. And what is truly essential is that the free-to-pollute business model must die. There is no longer a pathway to climate safety if the fossil fuel industry continues to enjoy a free-to-pollute business model, it simply doesn’t work any longer.”
"The attacks on our public lands are like nothing we’ve seen before — Congressional Republicans are abusing a controversial Congressional Review Act process to open Pandora’s box and permanently undo public lands management decisions at an unprecedented scale and breadth,” said House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Congressman Jared Huffman (CA-02). “This sets a dangerous precedent for Congress to roll back protections for all of our treasured public lands with little oversight or notice, all because Republicans have decided they'd rather pillage them for profit. As Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee tasked with oversight responsibility over these issues, I am committed to continuing to fight for our public lands and making sure this administration answers to the American public."
“Right now, it’s up to us as Members of Congress, alongside state and local leaders around the country, to signal that the United States is not completely out of the climate fight,” said SEEC Member Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03). “And it’ll be up to us and the next Democratic administration to not only recommit our country to these critical climate agreements - but surpass our commitments and act with extreme urgency.”
“As Co-Chair of the Congressional Endangered Species Caucus, which looks at how to better protect species, I have been laser focused on this Administration’s egregious attacks since day one,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08). “I am also alarmed that we have had to fend off constant legislation and ruinous impacts to wildlife and their habitats from our Republican colleagues. We should be fixing the biodiversity crisis, not making it worse.”
“This Earth Day, we must reaffirm our commitment to protecting the whole planet – blue and green. Families, wildlife, and economies depend on a healthy Earth,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). “We need to treat resilience as a priority, with climate science serving as a roadmap to inform smarter economic decisions.”
"The work we're talking about to save our planet isn't abstract — it's happening right now in the fields of Central and Southern Illinois, and it's under threat,” said SEEC Member Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13). “Farmers aren’t being dragged into this — they are lining up for it. They kept their end of the bargain; it's time Washington kept ours."
“Policy that’s good for the climate is good for the economy. I’m proud to lead the SEEC Institute’s Thriving Economy Project—a bold effort to bring in new ideas from communities, business leaders, researchers, and experts,” said SEEC Member Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-14). “Through this work, we are advancing ambitious, common-sense solutions to ensure that the U.S. government delivers an economy that creates opportunity for everyone–starting with clean air, clean water, and family-sustaining careers.”
"In Southern Arizona, environmental justice isn’t abstract—it’s personal. From extreme heat endangering workers, to worsening air and water conditions, to the ongoing fight to protect sacred lands like Oak Flat, our communities are on the frontlines,” said SEEC Member Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07). “This Earth Day, we must meet these challenges with action—by centering disproportionately impacted communities in decision-making, holding polluters accountable, and delivering solutions that actually reflect people’s lived experiences."
"Every megawatt of clean energy we add to the grid is a direct investment in American energy independence, insulating families from exactly this kind of shock and reducing the leverage that foreign conflicts have over our economy,” said SEEC Vice Chair Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49). “At a time when electricity rates are soaring across the country and millions of families are struggling to pay their rising energy bills, the most impactful thing we can do to lower energy costs for Americans is to expand access to clean, affordable energy."
“They have turned the forest into a fire, the ocean into a dumpster, and the sky into a sewer. They are discarding and throwing out our beautiful planet and our natural resources. There is no logic to it. And there is no interest in the American people or for our planet at large,” said Saad Amer, Founder of Justice Environment. “It’s the reason for organizing this event today, Federal Fire, Local Heat: An Earth Day emergency strategy session, where we had members of Congress and leaders of big national organizations and grassroots activists coming together with their power to demand better for their communities.”
"This Earth Day, we must do two things: fight back against Trump's rollbacks that harm our communities and fight for the bold, community-led solutions that will shape the future we all deserve,” said Dalal Aboulhosn, Managing Director for Programs and Policy of Center for Energy Earth and Democracy. “Because that status quo was never good enough for our communities. Instead, we must move forward, toward a future that is not only cleaner and safer, but also fair and just."
“Unfortunately, the Trump administration – with Lee Zeldin at the helm of the EPA – is doing everything it possibly can to put polluters first while treating the rest of us as expendable,” said Margie Alt, Campaign Director of Climate Action Campaign. “Today, amid ever-worsening climate-crisis-fueled extreme weather disasters, rampant pollution, and the decimation of agencies such as NOAA and FEMA, we can't afford to be silent on climate. We need to build the people power strong enough to overcome the fossil fuel interests and climate hushers, and return the EPA to its work of protecting people and the environment.”
“I grew up in what was known as a sacrifice zone. I grew up 30 feet away from an active oil and gas well that severely impacted my health. From nosebleeds so severe that I could no longer sleep in my own bed. I would have to sleep in a chair to prevent choking on my own blood at night. And at the age of 19, I heard the words that no one ever wants to hear, you have cancer,” said Nalleli Cobo, Environmental Activist & Storyteller. “My activism was born at the age of nine truly out of survival and I fight each and every day to so my story ends with me. I am very proud to say that after 16 years of our work, all 21 wells in my community are officially capped and sealed because of our dedicated efforts.”
“Thanks to decades of broad public and political support, the Endangered Species Act has saved iconic species like the bald eagle and humpback whale from extinction and continues to protect 99 percent of listed species today—making it one of the greatest conservation success stories in the world,” said Susan Holmes, Executive Director of Endangered Species Coalition. “But on this Earth Day, this day to celebrate and protect our natural world-- there are efforts underway to drastically weaken this law. Three weeks ago, the Trump Administration invoked the God Squad to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf from the Endangered Species Act. Extremists in the House of Representatives have been pushing a bill to eviscerate the ESA. That is why endangered species advocates from around the country are in DC this week, telling stories of bipartisan support for species including grizzlies, manatees, and sea turtles, and how their work is recovering wildlife and supporting local economies.”
“Earth Day is a day to celebrate what makes Earth so amazing. Kids like me rely on adults like you to keep us safe,” said Margot Kimmel, Member of Kids Clean Air Force. “For Earth Day, please keep us safe from things like pollution so we can play, have fun outdoors, and be healthy.”
"2026 and 2027 will likely bring an increase in billion-dollar disasters nationwide, ranging from drought and massive flooding to extreme heat, wildfires, hailstorms, and hurricanes,” said Mia Logan, Senior Advisor of Climate Urgency of Climate Power. “But instead of preparing for what’s ahead, the Trump administration is gutting the emergency preparedness systems that keep communities safe while politicizing disaster aid meant to help them recover. The result: more devastation, slower recoveries, and higher costs passed directly on to taxpayers."
“Our national parks are being pushed to the brink. Months of deep staffing cuts have hollowed out the agency that's charged with protecting many of America's most important places,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, President & CEO of National Parks Conservation Association. “We cannot be the generation that lets them slip away. This Earth Day, we call on every single member of Congress to protect our national parks and everything they represent.”