At its most recent meeting, members of the Wasatch Back Citizens’ Climate Lobby worked on developing effective communication techniques. Chapter co-leader Tracy Harden said so many conversations today are polarized that it’s difficult to have a meaningful conversation. This type of training she said is important so those with differing views can hear each other.
“People just want to be heard,” Harden said. “We might be on opposing viewpoints on this, but I want you to understand why I'm so passionate about this. So, at least you can feel like when you've left the conversation, that they've been heard. You've given them some food for thought, and you don't have to win the argument.”
She said there is a partisan split over climate policy, but plenty of Republicans are on board with addressing the changing climate and support preserving the Inflation Reduction Act. The bipartisan bill is the largest investment in climate resilience in US history, with funding to support projects that upgrade energy infrastructure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With the federal government looking for budget cuts, she said, IRA funding could be on the chopping block. It’s important she said that funding to advance clean energy ideas, like increasing battery storage and providing tax credits for rooftop solar, remains intact.
“Congress is meeting on it, and they're doing their budget,” she said. “We're lobbying right now very hard, and not just people on the environmental side, ironically, a lot of red states are benefiting most from this IRA funding. And so, the idea of clawing that back now and stopping it, it's a huge economic hit for them so, this is the lobby effort to keep it. We desperately need to keep this funding.”
Harden said everyone in Utah’s congressional delegation seems to support IRA funding.
“I absolutely have faith that Senator John Curtis can help move the needle and keep IRA funding. We have advocates with I think Rep. Blake Moore is behind it. And then in our work, also with Celeste Malloy, Burgess Owens and Mike Kennedy, I don't find any of our conversations with people saying, ‘I don't want to protect the environment or the climate.’ It's just that they have to navigate the political system for it. So, in Utah, do I find hard line opposition to it? Not really,” she said.
Local CCL members are planning some events for this spring and summer. The group will be part of Park City’s Earth Week and will host a short session at the Park City Library on April 26 on electrifying new homes and remodeling older ones.
Harden is also working to put together a nuclear energy panel with experts from the Idaho National Laboratory and possibly the U.S. Department of Energy to inform citizens about the new generation of nuclear energy.
The next meeting of the local Citizens’ Climate Lobby is May 15.
