Enviros Are Spending An Unprecedented $85 Million in 2014 Elections

"In the 2014 midterm election, facing off against voluminous spending by conservative groups and powered by a billionaire of their own, Tom Steyer, top environmental organizations say they are set to spend over $85 million -- a record amount -- trying to influence key races.

The motivation is clear. The groups are driven by the growing urgency of the climate change problem in general, and also the fate of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants, which some fear might be hindered in a Republican-controlled Congress.

The spending plans are laid out in a document, acquired by The Post, that summarizes the activities of five top green groups -- the Environmental Defense Action Fund, Steyer's NextGen Climate, the NRDC Action Fund, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), and the Sierra Club -- and has been circulated internally among them. Asked about the document, which is dated October 17, LCV president Gene Karpinski commented, "this is by far the biggest investment that the environmental community has ever made in politics." Karpinski said that LCV will spend over $25 million this year, compared with $5 million in the 2010 election cycle and $15 million in 2012."

Chris Mooney reports for the Washington Post's Wonkblog October 27, 2014.