Statement: A Path Forward for Environmental Progress

As we continue to process the 2024 U.S. election results and its implications, we are compelled to express our concerns about the planet’s future under the incoming administration’s leadership. The next several years will present severe challenges to the environmental movement. However, we at CleanAIRE NC remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for all North Carolinians, and to our belief that environmental progress is still possible.

During his campaign, President-elect Trump expressed his intention to repeal many of the milestone environmental protections we’ve achieved over the past four years. This includes the bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act, which remains the most significant action Congress has taken on clean energy and climate change in the nation’s history.

Advancing Environmental Goals

President-elect Trump has announced that he will nominate former Representative Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin’s reported focus on dismantling regulatory safeguards raises major concerns about rollbacks of critical environmental protections, including the recently enacted federal standards on PFAS in drinking water or on airborne soot pollution. The president-elect also intends to nominate fossil fuel executive Chris Wright, who has denied the existence of the climate crisis, as Energy Secretary

The proposed dismantling of hard-won policies that protect our air, water, and public health will have far-reaching impacts. Despite this, CleanAIRE NC is still committed to demanding stronger climate action and accountability for air pollution. The national landscape may be shifting, but there are still numerous opportunities to advance our environmental goals:

• State and local action: We will collaborate with state agencies, community partners, and other stakeholders to fight for state and local policies that prioritize health. We’ll raise awareness about environmental issues, connect with legal partners to challenge harmful policies in court, ensure the voices of impacted communities are heard, and engage directly with the NC General Assembly and local governments to drive positive change. 
• Equitable access to clean energy: We will leverage the NC Carbon Plan to accelerate our transition away from fossil fuels and ensure that clean energy benefits all North Carolinians, especially underserved communities. 
• Clean transportation solutions: We will continue to work with communities to enhance mobility and expand access to electric vehicles and other clean transportation infrastructure, particularly in rural areas where transportation options may be limited.

We must also remain vigilant in defending the progress we have already made. Over the next four years, CleanAIRE NC will closely monitor federal actions and work to prevent rollbacks of critical environmental protections.

We believe that by working together, we can overcome these challenges and build a more sustainable future for North Carolina. We invite you to join us in this fight.

###

CleanAIRE NC is a statewide nonprofit organization advocating for the health of all North Carolinians by pursuing equitable and collaborative solutions that address climate change and air pollution. www.cleanAIREnc.org