National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) is the premier organization for environmental state legislators. NCEL coordinates a nonpartisan network of over 1,300 legislators to protect, conserve, and improve the natural and human environment. By joining NCEL, you will play a crucial role in fostering a robust bench of environmental champions across the states.

NCEL began in 1996 with a small, bipartisan group of state legislators from across the country concerned about growing efforts that threatened environmental protection. These lawmakers coordinated to push back against anti-environmental efforts and collectively enacted many of the most notable state environmental policies of the 21st century. More than 25 years later, NCEL has grown into a broad bipartisan network of state lawmakers from across the country working together to create a clean and healthy environment for all. NCEL continues to be by and for state legislators and works with lawmakers in all 50 states.

NCEL believes that the key to advancing sound state policy is well-informed legislatures with strong champions who can advocate on behalf of the environment, coordinate strategies, and collaborate with their peers across the country on shared learning and action. State legislators often lack legislative staff and researchers, which leaves them under-resourced in the fight against anti-environmental groups. NCEL bridges this gap by hosting events, connecting lawmakers with colleagues and experts working on similar issues, and maintaining a library of online resources curated specifically for busy legislators.  Please visit ncelenviro.org to learn more about NCEL’s impact and leadership. 

NCEL currently operates with an annual budget of $3.4 million and a staff of 17.