Rising summer temperatures and energy bills are putting increased pressure on low-income households in Oregon and Washington, despite the region’s relatively low electricity rates. At the same time, federal energy assistance, efficiency programs, and climate protections are being rolled back—shifting costs and responsibilities to state and local governments. The report urges states to take immediate action through planning, budgeting, and innovation to protect the health and well-being of vulnerable communities.

This memo overviews recent polling and provides guidance for local elected officials on how to effectively communicate about climate and clean energy to align with Americans’ economic concerns. Our core recommendation: keep messages simple, focused, and personal—centered on the direct costs people are experiencing in their daily lives.

The newly released report titled “Utility Bills Are Rising” Q2 2025 Update: Skyrocketing Utility Bills Amidst Scorching Summer Heat includes analysis that shows in Q2 2025, utilities requested or received approval for over $9 billion in rate increases, including approximately $7.3 billion in new requests and $1.7 billion in approved rate increases.

People’s Action Institute worked with member affiliates New Jersey Resource Project (NJRP) and Maine People’s Resource Center (MPRC) to conduct two deep canvassing projects focused on building community support for offshore wind power development. In the Spring and early Summer of 2024, canvassers from these organizations held conversations with over 1,400 local residents in Lacey Township, NJ and the Midcoast region of Maine combined.

The United States is one of the largest energy consumers per capita, requiring households to have adequate energy expenditures to keep up with modern demand regardless of financial cost. This paper investigates energy burden, defined as the ratio of household energy expenditures to household income.

A report discussing clean energy job trends under the new Administration, with an emphasis on job decline in states and key districts where Inflation Reduction Act investments have been distributed. Climate Power estimates more than 600 jobs have been lost or jeopardized per day under Trump's first 100 days. The end of the first quarter of 2025 marked the first quarter since 2022 that clean energy job creation declined, ending two and a half years of consistent job growth. This report also discusses the harmful impacts of job declines and stalled or canceled clean energy investments, and what's at stake if these trends continue.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on utility costs, Trump’s handling of energy costs and other energy and environmental issues, climate change impacts, and federal funding cuts.

Most Americans say that their energy bills are higher now than they were a year ago, and there is widespread confusion and dissatisfaction around utilities. Utility bills remain a major cost of living concern, as three in five Americans (62%) say that their electrical and/or gas bill has increased compared to a year ago. Further, around three-quarters (73%) are concerned that their electrical and/or gas bill will increase this year. Most Americans are familiar with their local utilities, but few know much about how their utility sources its energy or how it’s regulated. Around seven in ten (69%) say that they’re at least “somewhat” familiar with their local power and/or gas utilities, though only around half (47%) are at least “somewhat” familiar with how their local utilities source their energy. Just 12% say that they’re “very” familiar with the energy sources that their utility uses. Additionally, less than half of Americans (39%) are familiar with the state or local regulatory agency that oversees their local power or gas utilities.

Since 2018, the Climate Advocacy Lab has distributed Climate Justice Microgrants to 25 environmental justice and climate justice organizations around the United States who are doing powerful work to protect and improve their communities.

The case study focuses on the 2022 multi-state community benefits agreement (CBA) signed between New Flyer, the largest electric transit bus manufacturer in North America; Jobs to Move America; and the Alabama Coalition of Community Benefits. The CBA encompasses New Flyer facilities in Anniston, Alabama and Ontario, California, but the report focuses on the Alabama facility.