Why State Governments Matter More Than Ever for Environmental Protection

As federal environmental protections face ongoing rollbacks, the fight to protect our planet has increasingly shifted to the states. While Congress remains gridlocked and federal agencies cut back critical safeguards, especially programs aimed at reducing environmental disparities, communities are continuing to advocate for bold, community-centered environmental policies, and some state governments—particularly their legislatures—are receptive.

States as first lines of defense

This shift underscores a crucial reality: state legislatures are not just secondary players—they might just be environmental first responders.

Across the country, state lawmakers are using their legislative power to advance protections that reflect both scientific urgency and community needs. Unlike the federal government, which can be slow-moving and politically polarized, states can move more quickly to pass legislation, respond to regional concerns, and prioritize equity alongside environmental protection.

Take Maryland, for example. In 2025, Governor Wes Moore signed Executive Order 01.01.2025.17, Valuing Opportunity, Inclusion, and Community Equity. While executive orders come from the governor, their real impact is often shaped and expanded by how the state legislature funds, implements, and builds upon them. This particular order aims to embed environmental justice into state agency operations—ensuring that overburdened communities are no longer left out of key environmental decisions.

Other states are also making headlines for their ambitious legislative action:

• California passed SB 253 and SB 261, laws that compel major corporations to disclose their carbon emissions and climate-related financial risks—pushing private-sector accountability onto the public stage.
• Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) is transforming the state’s energy landscape by expanding clean energy access and investing in workforce training programs rooted in environmental justice.
• New York passed the Climate Change Superfund Act last year. The Climate Change Super Fund Act will hold the oil and gas industry monetarily accountable for their role in the climate crises and will use the industry funds for climate adaptation programs.

These state-level initiatives show that significant environmental justice and climate action doesn’t have to wait on Congress. In fact, some of the most innovative and equitable environmental policies in the country are being drafted and passed in state capitals, not Washington, D.C.

If done right, communities can have a unique advantage when working and negotiating with state and local governments. Communities can have the advantage of a closer proximity. Communities can put a face and name on important issues. Communities can also track and give more direct input on the accountability of elected officials.

If we want to see change, we need to pay close attention to state legislatures. These are the bodies that decide zoning laws, renewable energy standards, water protections, and how billions in federal infrastructure and climate funding gets spent.

So, what should we do? Stay informed. Show up at town halls. Join local organizations. Call your state representatives. Vote in local elections. The environment doesn’t stop at the state line—and neither should our learning and advocacy.

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