




	Dear Friend, Did you hear the great news? After years of hard work by Nebraska Conservation Voters, LCV’s state affiliate, to identify, recruit, and elect clean energy champions to utility governing boards, last week the state’s largest utility, the Nebraska Public Power District, enacted a net-zero carbon goal. This latest victory is a huge milestone for our movement. Following similar carbon neutrality commitments passed by Nebraska’s two other major utilities, it makes nearly the entire state dedicated to achieving the goal of net-zero emissions and puts Nebraska firmly on a path to 100% clean energy. It also makes Nebraska the first "red" state in the nation to commit to decarbonization. Though both the governor’s mansion and state legislature are controlled by Republicans, it is the state’s bipartisan pro-climate majority public power boards that ushered in a new clean-energy era for Nebraska residents. This is a remarkable shift from where the state was just six years ago. In 2015, the U.S. Energy Information Administration found that Nebraska's carbon emissions had increased more than any other state between 2000-2015, largely due to construction of new coal plants. Now, nearly every Nebraskan receives electricity from a utility committed to carbon neutrality. This commitment will bring improvements to people across the state, including urgently needed economic development opportunities for rural and low-wealth communities, who will benefit from the creation of new clean-energy jobs and a new tax base. It will also ensure a healthier future for communities of color and low-wealth communities in places like Lincoln and Omaha, where residents are disproportionately impacted by coal plant pollution. *This shift happened in no small part thanks to LCV's Clean Energy for All* campaign and the Nebraska Conservation Voters (NCV), which identified a strategic opportunity in Nebraska's status as the only state in the country with 100% publicly-owned electricity. Since 2015, NCV has worked steadily to elect clean energy champions to Nebraska's three major public power boards. NCV-supported champions campaigned on clean energy development, technological advancements in the electricity sector, and ensuring that Nebraska would continue to provide residents with affordable and reliable energy. In total, NCV helped win 14 public power races across the state, including in November 2020, when it helped secure a pro-clean energy majority on the board of the state's largest electric utility, the Nebraska Public Power District. Post-elections, a crucial part of NCV's strategy was to engage extensively with both newly elected and incumbent board members to educate them on the benefits of decarbonization and cultivate their support for the goal of net-zero emissions. NCV also worked hard to build public support for decarbonization and make sure that board members heard their constituents' demands for clean, reliable, and affordable energy. NCV also worked hard to build public support for decarbonization and make sure that board members heard their constituents' demands for clean, reliable, and affordable energy. This timely, urgent work to combat the climate crisis by transitioning the United States to 100% clean energy would not be possible without the supporters like you. Thank you for all that you do to help LCV and our network of 30+ state affiliates create a healthier, safer, and more just future for all. Onward, Gene Karpinski President League of Conservation Voters P.S. In case you missed them, check out the headlines generated from this historic clean energy victory: "In a red-state first, Nebraska plans to decarbonize power sector by mid-century" — Grist "Neb. decarbonization vote was years in the making" — E&E News "Nebraska becomes first red state to target 100% clean electricity" — The Washington Post's climate newsletter "Red State Goes Green" — Politico's Morning Energy newsletter MSNBC's Chris Hayes re-tweets LCV State Communications Director Nick Abraham's breakdown** of the Nebraska news.