The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is an organization that helps legislators advocate for left-of-center environmental policies on the state level. While the organization claims to be nonpartisan, its membership largely consists of members of the Democratic Party.

In June 2017, the organization put out a press release opposing the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement that was done by then President Donald Trump. The organization assembled a coalition of over 550 legislators from 45 states to denounce the decision. The legislators reiterated their commitment for their states to continue to follow the carbon dioxide emission reductions that were outlined and to go beyond them when possible. ¹

The organization is also a supporter of adding so-called “Green Amendments” to state constitutions, which would give a state’s residents the right to a clean environment, including a “stable climate.” Such amendments would give the government additional powers to order new restrictions on mining, energy, and other industries. ²

Background

The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is an organization that advocates for left-of-center environmental policies at the state level. It claims a membership of over 1,200 state legislators nationwide. ³

The organization was founded in 1996 by Maryland Delegate Leon Billings, who was the author of the state’s Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. It was formalized in September 1999 as a project of the Edmund S. Muskie Foundation and it became an independent organization in 2007. ⁴

Issue Focus

The organization focuses on various standard left-of-center environmental priorities such as increasing government ownership of lands, creating so-called climate justice policies which expand the government’s role in the economy, restricting the use of conventional fuel energy and replacing with weather-dependent sources, and expanding the use of electric cars. ⁵

The organization was a strong opponent of the decision by former President Donald Trump’s effort to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accords. The organization assembled a coalition of over 550 state legislators from 45 states to denounce the decision. The legislators pledged that their states would continue to implement the carbon dioxide emission reductions under the agreement and even surpass them regardless of the economic cost. ⁶

After the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, the organization worked with the Schwarzenegger Institute at the University of Southern California (USC) to create the Digital Environmental Legislative Handbook, a database of environmental bills and laws to help state legislators create new bills. The database was first used in California. ⁷

The organization is a supporter of “Green Amendments” which would enshrine as a right a clean environment, including a “stable climate.” The amendments would grant the government additional powers to increase regulations on the energy, mining, and other extractive industries through the threat of lawsuits. ⁸

Leadership

Dylan McDowell currently works as the executive director for the organization. Previously, he was working in public policy in the government relations office at Oregon State University. ⁹

The board of directors consists of currently or previously serving legislators. The current president is former state representative Beth Kerttula (D-Alaska). She was the former Minority Leader of the Alaska House of Representatives. ¹⁰

Funding

As of the 2020 tax return, the organization had a revenue of $1,198,914 and expenses of $1,252,420. It had assets of $1,056,444. ¹¹

It received a donation from the Ocean Foundation. ¹²

Between 2018 and 2022, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation made a series of grants to the organization. ¹³

It received a donation from the now-defunct Brainerd Foundation. ¹⁴

It received a $100,000 grant from the Blaustein Philanthropic Group in 2021. ¹⁵

1. “Paris Climate Agreement: 45 States Oppose Trump’s Withdrawal.” The Ocean Foundation, June 21, 2017. https://oceanfdn.org/paris-climate-agreement-45-states-oppose-trumps-withdrawal/.
2. Bolstad, Erika. “Some States Want to Give You a Constitutional Right to a Clean Environment.” Phys, April 11, 2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-04-states-constitutional-environment.html.
3. [1]“About.” National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.ncelenviro.org/about/.
4. [1]“About.” National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.ncelenviro.org/about/.
5. “Issues.” National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.ncelenviro.org/issues/.
6. Paris Climate Agreement: 45 States Oppose Trump’s Withdrawal.” The Ocean Foundation, June 21, 2017. https://oceanfdn.org/paris-climate-agreement-45-states-oppose-trumps-withdrawal/.
7.  Adamczyk, Ed. “ Schwarzenegger Launches Climate Change Project.” UPI. UPI, August 4, 2017. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/08/04/Schwarzenegger-launches-climate-change-project/9531501861395/.
8.  Bolstad, Erika. “Some States Want to Give You a Constitutional Right to a Clean Environment.” Phys, April 11, 2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-04-states-constitutional-environment.html.
9. Dylan McDowell.” National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.ncelenviro.org/personnel/dylan-mcdowell/.
10. “The Honorable Beth Kerttula.” National Caucus of Environmental Legislators. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.ncelenviro.org/personnel/beth-kerttula/.
11. National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Full Filing .” ProPublica. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/680633254/202101979349300115/full.
12. [1]“Paris Climate Agreement: 45 States Oppose Trump’s Withdrawal.” The Ocean Foundation, June 21, 2017. https://oceanfdn.org/paris-climate-agreement-45-states-oppose-trumps-withdrawal/.
13. “National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.” The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.packard.org/grants-and-investments/grants-database/national-caucus-of-environmental-legislators/
14. [1]“Organizations We Funded.” The Brainerd Foundation. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://www.brainerd.org/grantee-profile.php?orgID=285.
15. [1]“National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.” Blaustein Philanthropic Group. Accessed April 16, 2023. https://blaufund.org/national-caucus-of-environmental-legislators/.