Right now, Congress is deciding whether or not to pass legislation that would make it easier to jumpstart new fossil fuel projects. This comes off the heels of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included historic investments in clean energy to combat climate change. Why, then, is Congress trying to further promote dirty energy?
Congress should block this legislation for many reasons. First, it would gut critical environmental protections, like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, all to help fast-track new dirty energy projects. It would also cut frontline communities’ ability to provide input on these projects, continuing to put Black, brown, Indigenous and other marginalized communities in harm’s way. Lastly, more fossil fuel projects would endanger public health by polluting our air, water, and land; we need fewer fossil fuels, not more.
A version of this bill actually had a watermark from the American Petroleum Institute on it, indicating that this deal was written by and for the fossil fuel industry. It undoes decades of environmental advocacy work and is a step in the wrong direction. It’s time for our leaders in Washington to fight for our communities, not fossil fuel corporations.
Power to the people, not to profit-only groups, already super rich while destroying our natural resources and communities.
Laura Macleod
Amherst
