Tag: State of Texas

Texas State Capitol

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Texas Lobby Day 2025

On By CCLATXIn Texas LegislatureLeave a comment

Did you know, in-person meetings are the most powerful way to build relationships with legislators and to influence Texas’ climate policy. CCL’s Texas Lobby Day not only offers you the chance to meet and share your concerns with elected officials of the State of Texas, but you will also have a chance to meet with and be inspired by your fellow climate advocates from across the state. Our last Lobby Day at the Texas State Capitol was a tremendous success. Please consider joining us in Austin for 2025!

What will happen?

First, you will be trained to understand the top priorities of Citizens’ Climate Lobby during an afternoon meeting held on Monday, March 31 at Sumners Hall, St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin. The training occurs from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. You will be fully briefed by experts, so that your meetings with elected officials the following day are focused and productive.

Then, after breakfast on Tuesday, April 1 at Crail Hall, St. David’s Episcopal Church (a comfortable walking distance to the State Capitol), you will meet with State House and Senate representatives to advocate for strong, nonpartisan actions on climate. All meetings will have been re-arranged, so you know where to go, and to whom you will be speaking.

CCL Texas Lobby Day

Make your voice heard and urge lawmakers to make smart investments in the clean energy future of Texas. We will also ask our legislators to come to the table on climate solutions by joining the bipartisan Texas Energy & Climate Caucus.

We need you to be present! To review the full agenda and to register, follow this link to Eventbrite. We look forward to seeing you then. Thank you.

You may be wondering, “How do you talk to friends and family about climate change in a way that brings you both hope? How do you get involved with your local chapter’s lobbying team, and what do you say to your members of Congress?” For an advance preview of what lobby meetings are like and what to expect, follow this link to Citizens’ Climate Lobby and its Climate Advocate Lobby Training page.

We Need Federal Rules to Protect Outdoor Workers

On By Kalpana SutariaIn Global WarmingLeave a comment

Re: June 25 article, ‘Outdoor workers need increased protection’

It is sadly true that as Austin gets warmer with worsening climate, there are consequences for outdoor workers in construction, agriculture and postal work. As a project manager working on City of Austin building projects, I have experienced the hot conditions firsthand at job sites. We ensure that contractors working on city projects provide a 10-minute shade and water break once every four hours. Signs are posted in English and Spanish.

But Governor Abbott signed a law upending protections for workers directly impacted by summer heat. These workers construct infrastructure and buildings and grow food for Texans in the brutal heat. Is just 10 minutes of respite not acceptable to Abbott? Last year 279 people died because of heat in Texas.

Contractors and owners who care for workers are providing protections regardless. OSHA must act promptly to enact federal regulations to protect outdoor workers from heat exposure and illnesses.

Kalpana Sutaria

Project Manager, City of Austin and Member, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Austin

Published in the Austin American-Statesman

July 2, 2023

Action Requested Today and How to Join the Texas State Lobby Team

On By CCLATXIn CCLATX, Texas LegislatureLeave a comment

We had an outstanding lobby day at the Texas State Capitol two weeks ago. Please help us leverage that momentum to pass good bills and stop bad bills (or at least make them less bad), and for the next month and a half.

We ask you to:

  • Sign up to receive weekly Action Alerts, the week’s most important action to the Texas Legislature selected by our Citizens’ Climate Lobby Texas State Lobby Team (click on the link to reach the team webpage on the national website).
  • Take action this week (today) on HB 2502 on building energy efficiency.

Once you join the Texas State Lobby Team, you will receive an alert to take the most important action each week. The action alert will require little time and allows you to be fully effective. It will include a link to an Action Alert we write or one written by a partner organization. It will have instructions with a sample email for you to slightly customize.

Submit Written Online Comments to Support HB 2502 [Now Complete]

HB 2502 would establish a program to issue or guarantee loans for energy audits, upgrades, or retrofits to increase the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and residences. It would include requirements for emissions reduction cost-effectiveness criteria and utilize funds available from the U.S. Department of Energy and private capital or state resources. The comments should be sent by midnight today, April 12. Apologies for the late notice and for an extra email if you’ve already taken this action. To easily take this action, follow this link.

In addition, please ask other CCL volunteers across Texas to join the Texas State Lobby Team public group on the national community website, so that they can receive future Action Alerts for outreach to state legislators.

Thank you to Larry Howe and team for leading this effort.

Bob Hendricks
Texas State Lobby Team Co-Coordinator

Click on the photograph to reach LegisScan for the text of HB2502.

We need more Texas lawmakers to confront the reality of climate change

On By CCLATXIn Texas House CaucusLeave a comment

Re: Nov. 10 commentary, “We need resilient infrastructure and global climate plan now.”

Thanks to Rep. Zwiener for co-founding the Texas House Caucus on Climate, Environment and the Energy Industry and getting 30 members to join. We need such lawmakers to honestly look at the facts on climate change crisis and take action for health and well-being of their constituents.

The response of the Texas Legislature to the problems of the electric grid during and after the February winter storm has been nothing but disheartening. The loss of at least 210 lives and $80 billion in damages, and unbelievable suffering of Texans was not enough for the legislature to take strong action. The state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon has reported that Texas is vulnerable to a wide range of natural hazards, most of which are weather and climate events.

Yes, we need resilient infrastructure that will figure climate change as part of planning and that will reduce harmful emissions by transitioning to cleaner sources of energy.

Kalpana Sutaria

Austin American-Statesman

November 16, 2021