Our 2024 priorities in the states

During a contentious election year at the federal level, state and local governments have some of the best opportunities to make progress on issues that affect our environment, our health, and the quality of our lives.

Clean energy

February 6, 2024

Emily Rusch

Vice President and Senior Director of State Offices, The Public Interest Network

Both PIRG and Environment America have a network of state-based offices throughout the country, working at the state and local level to address environmental and consumer concerns.

In 2024 Environment America is working to invest in state parks in Texas, protect the Okefenokee swamp in Georgia, and build more wildlife corridors in Florida. We’re working to commit to 100% clean energy in New Jersey and Massachusetts, protect the Owyhee Canyonlands in Oregon, reduce plastic packaging waste in Illinois, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, create new marine sanctuaries for wildlife along the California coast, and more.

PIRG is working to pass right to repair policies in Oregon and Colorado to help consumers reduce waste and fix their stuff, ban toxic PFAs chemicals in common products in Massachusetts, watchdog the utilities in Illinois and Maryland to promote energy savings and stop risky investments in natural gas, reduce plastic packaging waste in Washington and California, and the list goes on.

Learn more about our 2024 priorities in key states here:

Alaska Environment

Environment Washington

WashPIRG

Environment Oregon

OSPIRG

Environment California

CALPIRG

Environment New Mexico

CoPIRG’s Clean Air Agenda

Environment Texas

TexPIRG

Environment Minnesota

Environment Illinois

Illinois PIRG

Environment Michigan

Environment Massachusetts

MASSPIRG

Environment Connecticut

Environment New Jersey

PennEnvironment

Maryland PIRG

Environment Virginia

Environment North Carolina

Environment Georgia

Environment Florida

Topics

Authors

Emily Rusch

Vice President and Senior Director of State Offices, The Public Interest Network

Emily is the senior director for state organizations for The Public Interest Network. She works nationwide with the state group directors for PIRG and Environment America to help them build stronger organizations and achieve greater success. Emily was the executive director for CALPIRG from 2009-2021, overseeing a myriad of CALPIRG campaigns to protect public health, protect consumers in the marketplace, and promote a robust democracy. Emily works in our Oakland, California, office, and loves camping, hiking, gardening and cooking with her family.