Events

Join NEC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from December 6-9 for a convening of energy affordability leaders.

State legislators from across seven states convened in Jackson, Mississippi, for the 2026 Mississippi River Legislative Caucus (MRLC) Forum, where they explored how to support one of the most economically and socially consequential waterways.

NEC hosted its annual National Forum in Chicago, Illinois, from Thursday, July 23, to Saturday, July 25, 2026. The gathering brought together over 200 legislators from 44 states and territories.

In early July, NEC partnered with Circle to bring 11 legislators and legislative staff from eight states on the European Circular Policy Expedition in Austria and Slovakia.

In June, NEC hosted 18 state legislators and legislative staff from 10 states for a three-day tour across Washington State to explore sustainable and resilient Blue Economy development. Legislators from across the country engaged with stakeholders from the private sector, Tribes, and academia to learn about innovative approaches to grow coastal economies while tackling challenges related to aquaculture, workforce development, and port infrastructure. Through site visits and robust discussions, the Washington Blue Economy Tour highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration and provided actionable policy solutions for legislators to take back to their home states.

On June 12, NEC convened 11 legislators from six states in the PJM region to meet with PJM CEO David Mills and other PJM staff members. During the meeting, lawmakers engaged directly with PJM leadership on proposals impacting energy affordability, reliability, and decarbonization.

On Get Outdoors Day in June, NEC partnered with Color My Outdoors to host the Southeast Outdoor Opportunity Policy Summit in Asheville, North Carolina. The exclusive regional convening brought together state officials, outdoor industry experts, and a bipartisan group of five state legislators from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

On June 10, NEC convened Minnesota and Wisconsin legislators for the annual Mississippi River Legislative Caucus (MRLC) River Tour at Lake Pepin, as part of the River Days of Action. During the tour, legislators learned about the issues impacting Lake Pepin and how Minnesota and Wisconsin state agencies are collaborating with federal, Tribal, and local partners on restoration projects.

On April 28, NEC and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) co-hosted the State Plastic Policy Workshop in Washington, D.C., for state lawmakers to explore system-wide solutions to plastic pollution. The workshop took place ahead of the fourth annual WWF Plastic Policy Summit and brought together six legislators from Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Midwest states. Workshop attendees learned more about plastic policy, with a focus on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Deposit Return Systems (DRS), while taking part in robust discussions, exchanging best practices, and collaborating with local leaders.

In January, NEC convened a cohort of 18 legislators from five states at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) for a tour of WindScape Brooklyn — a state-of-the-art offshore learning center and community space. During the tour, state lawmakers learned more about the Empire Wind 1 project while taking part in discussions regarding shared challenges and opportunities within the offshore wind space

At a time when federal climate policy is shifting, state leadership is more important than ever. On December 16, 2025, NEC hosted a webinar in partnership with the Model Climate Laws Initiative (MCLI) to discuss the current landscape of federal climate laws, including the status of federal lawsuits against states, and how states can continue leading on climate policies in 2026.

In early December, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NEC) and the Electric Innovation Initiative (EII) convened state and local lawmakers from 18 states in California for the Bay Area Electrification Tour. Over two days, participants took part in policy discussions and cutting‑edge site visits that showcased how electrification lowers costs, strengthens reliability, and accelerates decarbonization.

On November 10, 2025, NEC hosted a webinar in partnership with the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to spotlight how states are stepping up with bipartisan solutions to protect the public against harmful chemicals in food and food packaging.

In early October, NEC attended the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC) in Abu Dhabi, where state legislators joined other conservation leaders to share successes and help shape global conservation priorities.

This October, over 20 state legislators and staffers from nine states joined NEC for a three-day tour across New England, exploring innovations and policy solutions within the growing Blue Economy sector. Through expert panels and hands-on site visits, participants explored solutions they can take back to their home states related to working waterfronts, offshore wind infrastructure, climate resilience, and sustainable aquaculture.

From October 2–4, 12 state legislators convened in New Orleans for NEC’s 2025 Mississippi River Legislative Caucus (MRLC) Forum. The event brought together lawmakers from across the ten-state Mississippi River corridor with experts from national and regional organizations to explore shared challenges and opportunities for the watershed.

From September 22-26, NEC attended NYC Climate Week 2025 for our largest Climate Week offering yet. With federal climate progress facing daily setbacks, NEC’s presence underscored the growing importance of state-led solutions and highlighted how states are already leading with climate policies that can withstand headwinds at the federal level to deliver a sustainable, just, and affordable future.

From July 31 to August 2, more than 170 legislators from 40 states and territories convened in Boston for NEC’s annual National Forum. The event brought together lawmakers and experts from across the environmental policy spectrum to explore how states can lead on climate, energy, conservation, and environmental health, especially as federal support continues to erode.

As the world gathered at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, to confront the biodiversity crisis, states like California stepped up to bring the American perspective to the global conservation stage.

State legislators from across the country convened for two days at NEC’s 2024 National Forum to network, learn about trending environmental topics, and collaborate on policy solutions for a healthier planet and people.

On May 28, the White House hosted a Summit on Modernizing the Power Grid, bringing together industry leaders, state legislative champions, advocacy groups, and regulatory officials on the development of grid-enhancing technologies or GETs.