Sparta student to lobby Congress on clean energy, lower utility costs
Sparta. Sparta resident Sofia Billich will travel to Washington, D.C., with Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers to advocate for clean energy policies aimed at lowering energy costs and strengthening the electric grid.
| 23 Jul 2026 | 01:35
Sofia Billich (
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As more frequent periods of extreme heat drive up electricity demand and put pressure on the power grid, many families across Northern New Jersey are feeling the impact through higher energy bills.
College student Sofia Billich, currently attending the University of Colorado in Boulder, is among a group of climate activist volunteers who will travel to the Capitol to advocate for policies that will strengthen the scale and affordability of clean energy while reducing pollution that causes more intense and frequent heat waves.
Billich’s climate activism stems directly from a love for animals and a desire to protect them, as well as a love for science and the natural world. She is pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies, a path that she hopes will help her understand climate change and develop solutions.
On July 28, she will join about 40 other New Jersey climate activists on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., to meet with the offices of Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, and U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. During meetings, they will encourage support for practical energy and climate policies that can accelerate clean energy deployment, reduce pollution contributing to worsening extreme heat, strengthen grid reliability, and help protect households and communities from rising energy costs.
Top of the agenda is permitting reform, which would help modernize the process for building and connecting new energy and transmission infrastructure so reliable, lower-cost energy reaches communities quicker. By reducing unnecessary delays while maintaining environmental protections, Congress can help bring more energy online faster, improve reliability and help put downward pressure on energy costs for consumers.
“I am excited to be surrounded by like-minded people who are as passionate about mitigating climate change as I am,” Billich said. “I am also really looking forward to learning more lobbying techniques and climate communication skills.”
Before the lobby meetings, she and the over 800 other volunteers will attend CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference, where they will join fellow advocates from all across the country—and political spectrum—to hear from energy policy experts and build advocacy skills.
