Good things are happening! In Louisiana, a run-off election has opened the door for a more promising climate future. Also, public land defenders took on Arizona’s governor and won, a proposed new rule could help consumers track corporate criminals, global renewable energy is accelerating at a much needed pace, and the fossil fuel industry lost one of its main investors.
All this and much more in this week’s edition of You Love To See It below, a weekly feature reviewing good news, progress, and action steps that’s one of the many features available only to Lever supporting subscribers.
Rock the boat.
Low-Profile Election Upset Could Change Louisiana’s Climate Trajectory
In an election upset, first-time political candidate Davante Lewis beat corporate Democrat Lambert Boissiere for a seat on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission.
Now, for the first time, the five-member board — which regulates utility companies and plans renewable energy investments — will have a pro-climate majority and could likely push forward the state’s first-ever climate action plan to institute net-zero state emissions by 2050.
Lewis ran on a platform including a “Ratepayers’ Bill of Rights” to end service disconnections and excessive late fees, as well as enforce restrictions on how much investor-owned utilities companies can profit from consumers. Lewis also vowed to push the state utility commission to facilitate the Louisiana Climate Action Plan’s goal of 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035 as a key pillar of the state’s emission reduction goals.
State utility commissions will play a pivotal role in determining how billions of federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act will be channeled into renewable energy investment. Lewis’ win opens a path for the state’s small but influential utility commision to play a big part in improving Louisiana’s climate trajectory.
