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Environmental justice promises and pledges around fossil fuels remain unmet; executive actions necessary to meet Biden’s own climate targets 

(Washington, D.C) – No matter the outcome of the midterm elections on Tuesday night, President Biden will need to follow through on a bold course of executive actions in order to meet his own climate commitments and fulfill unmet promises on environmental justice and limiting fossil fuel development. 

“During his first two years in office, President Biden failed to use his full executive powers to address the climate crisis and protect our communities from the ravages of fossil fuels,” said People Vs. Fossil Fuels, a coalition of over 1,200 grassroots, frontline and national organizations in a statement released ahead of Tuesday’s election. “It’s past time for President Biden to declare a climate emergency and block the federal approval of all new fossil fuel projects that are threatening our climate and communities.” 

Since before President Biden took office, People vs. Fossil Fuels has been pushing him to use his extensive executive powers to address the climate crisis and fossil fuel pollution that is poisoning people across the country, especially working families and Black, Brown, Indigenous, people of the global majority. 

While the Biden Administration has taken actions to boost the growth of clean energy, they have done little to directly address the production, export, and burning of fossil fuels, the most significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and a significant source of local pollution. If anything, the administration has gone backwards: failing to fulfill a promise to ban fossil fuel development on public lands, failing to stop controversial projects like the Line 3 pipeline, encouraging the growth of fossil fuel exports, and allowing for massive industry handouts in the Inflation Reduction Act that passed through Congress. 

“Environmental Justice communities have experienced a long history of health disparities for generations stemming from the disproportionate burden of fossil fuel pollution and polluting infrastructure. Not only do fossil fuels cause land, water, and air damage but they also create a health and safety hazard in Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income communities where they are overwhelmingly sited and the workers who maintain them. Enough is enough. Our elected officials have failed us time after time by continually saying yes to industry. It’s time we take our power back. It’s time we get folks in office who care about people,” said Roishetta Ozane, Organizing Director, Healthy Gulf.

These failures on fossil fuels aren’t just a policy concern: they’re costing lives. Last year, a study from Harvard University and others concluded that 1 in 5 deaths worldwide are caused by fossil fuel air pollution. This includes nearly 350,000 Americans every year, with the impacts concentrated in low-income and Black, Brown, Indigenous, people of the global majority communities. 

Many environmental justice, frontline, and Indigenous organizations have been frustrated not only by the administration’s lack of action, but their willingness to even meet with the communities most impacted by climate change, fossil fuels, and their own policy decisions. 

In October 2021, People vs. Fossil Fuels mobilized over a thousand people from frontline communities across the United States to come to Washington, D.C. and engage in civil disobedience to pressure President Biden to act. In September 2022, the coalition mobilized again to successfully stop Senator Manchin’s dirty deal which would have fast tracked dangerous fossil fuel projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline.  

Below are additional quotes from leading climate and environmental justice organizations within People vs. Fossil Fuels:

“As I fight alongside frontline organizers across the country to stop all new fossil fuel projects and ensure a livable future, it’s clear to me how strong we are when we are united. President Biden should take note of this and join us. He can start by declaring a climate emergency,” Russell Chisholm, Mountain Valley Watch Coordinator.

“For 500 years, Indigenous people of the Americas have been ignored about the ongoing genocide and ecocide we have allowed to be committed by our world leaders. Biden and his administration has been anything but ‘bold’ in our climate crisis — meanwhile, sacrifice zones of millions of Americans have been the ones to pay for his cowardice. Stick to your promises President Biden, or a new age of Indigenous leadership will remind you yet again who’s land you are on.” Tasina Sapa Win, Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective

“The Arctic is warming at an estimated 4 to 5 times faster than the rest of the world, which is exponentially faster than previously predicted, making it ground zero for climate change. Alaska Natives experience the impacts of catastrophic climate change first hand, along with many other Black and Indigenous people worldwide. President Biden and world leaders have a responsibility to keep our people safe and ensure a healthy world for future generations. The time is now to declare a climate emergency, stop all fossil fuel extraction, and allow for a just transition into renewable energy. Stop the Willow Project and all fossil fuel projects.” Sonia Ahkivgak, Social Outreach Coordinator, Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic 

“Indigenous communities turned out to vote for Biden because we needed immediate climate action and he has failed to offer any meaningful leadership. Instead he has allowed big oil to continue to make windfall profits and make Indigenous communities sacrifice zones and ignored our sovereignty to give oil and gas access to destroy the water, land and air quality in our communities. We have passed the point of keeping warming to 1.5C and we will see much heartache and devastation from climate chaos in the years ahead. No matter how the elections turnout, he has the executive power to take immediate action and we will keep pushing him to put politics aside and do what’s right for all of humanity.” Ikiya Collective 

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(Washington, D.C) – Earlier today, RISE St. James, a faith-based, grassroots environmental organization led by The Goldman Prize winner, Sharon Lavigne, hosted a funeral procession across D.C to honor lives lost to the fossil fuel industry and demand more action from the Biden Administration on environmental justice. Organized as a New Orleans second-line style marching band and ending at the White House, the procession of activists carried photographs of fellow community members who died because of the toxic impact of fossil fuels.

“We are dying, struggling to breathe polluted air and without clean water to drink. Our gardens are producing inedible vegetables, and our bath water leaves us itching for days,” said Sharon Lavigne. “As a fellow devout Catholic and grandparent, I am making a personal plea to you, President Biden. Please save us. Use your power to declare Cancer Alley a State of Emergency, declare a climate emergency, halt the petrochemical build out in the Gulf South and help our children and grandchildren to live long, healthy lives.”

SEE PHOTOS HERE. 

Located alongside the Mississippi River, St. James Parish is commonly referred to as “Cancer Alley” for its prevalence of petrochemical plants, with roughly 200 plants along an 80-mile stretch of the river. The Parish, largely made up of Black residential communities, has among the highest concentrations of toxic chemicals in the country, with cancer rates found to be 50 times higher than the national average. Deemed a “sacrifice zone”, this community is one of the clearest examples of environmental racism in the country. 

At the start of his term, President Biden gave hope to the St. James Parish by signing an executive order representing the biggest federal commitment to environmental justice in the nation’s history and referring to “Cancer Alley” by name. Several months later Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Reagan met with RISE St. James and other environmental advocates in St. James Parish, vowing to deliver “bold actions,” to protect families and restore clean air and safe driving water. Despite this, the state of Louisiana plans to build or expand over 100 petrochemical facilities across the state, with St. James Parish at the epicenter of this toxic boom.

The group called on President Biden to stand true to his previous statements and acknowledge the millions of residents within “Cancer Alley ” and across the country that are being subjected to the devastating health effects of the fossil fuel industry. Sharon Lavigne in particular has been making an ongoing personal plea to President Biden to meet with her one-on-one, and was able to have a meeting with the Council on Environmental Quality this afternoon. 

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(Washington, D.C) – Grassroots and frontline climate justice leaders with People vs. Fossil Fuels, a coalition of over 1,200 groups working to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure have released the following statement regarding Joe Manchin’s decision to remove his dirty deal language from the Continuing Resolution today: 

“The failure of the dirty deal is a testament to the power of the people. For too long Black, Indigenous, communities of the global majority and poor white communities have been sacrifice zones for fossil fuel executives’ windfall profits. Environmental racism has stolen so much from our communities for too long and we will fight for all we can save. People vs. Fossil Fuels celebrates this momentum, but knows there is still so much more work to do to protect our climate and communities.  Through sit-ins, rallies, letters, phone banks and more, we have mobilized as a  coalition of over 1,200 groups to push elected officials and President Biden to take the bold leadership science demands to keep fossil fuels in the ground, declare a climate emergency and protect the air, water, and land we depend on for healthy futures. The dirty permitting side deal may have stalled this time around, but the fight continues. We will remain vigilant as Republicans warn they will bring it back next month because we know it will take people power to win the fight against fossil fuels.“

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Civil disobedience by directors of national and community environmental groups comes the day after the text of Manchin’s bill is released

Washington DC, Sept. 22, 2022 – A group of 11 environmental and community leaders were arrested today calling on the Senate to reject Senator Manchin’s proposal to undermine environmental and community review and fast-track oil, gas, coal and mining projects. Those participating in civil disobedience are all directors of prominent organizations, including national and regional environmental groups, community organizations, and labor unions. 

Photos and videos will be made available here as soon as they are uploaded:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/survivalmediaagency/sets/72177720302309594/
https://media.greenpeace.org/collection/27MDHUFR3KM4

The protest came one day after Manchin formally released his Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022, which had been first announced in July. Since the bill’s released late Wednesday, it has been widely criticized by civil rights and environmental justice advocates, and members of Congress.

Organizations participating in the protest include Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Popular Democracy, Earthworks, Familias Unidas por La Justicia, Food & Water Watch, Greenpeace USA, Indigenous Environmental Network, Just Transition Alliance, New York Communities for Change, Oil Change International, Step Up Louisiana, Sunrise Movement, Climate Justice Alliance, and United Steelworkers Local 675.

Directors from each organization released the following statements: 

Kierán Suckling, Executive Director of the Center for Biological Diversity:

“Sen. Manchin’s proposal is a fossil-fueled travesty, and those who stand with it are setting their climate credibility on fire. We won’t tolerate the sacrifice of more communities and precious wildlife to line the pockets of fossil fuel profiteers. And we won’t relent in our efforts to stop this legislative disaster, which will only benefit fossil fuel companies, not renewable energy.”

DaMareo Cooper, Co-Executive Director of the Center For Popular Democracy Action:

“Today we call on Majority Leader Charles Schumer, the Senate and the White House to reject Senator Joe Manchin’s dirty deal. Climate change is the preeminent issue of our time and we’ve seen the drastic effects the lack of action from our leadership on this issue is having throughout our nation and the world — most recently in Puerto Rico with hurricane Fiona. This deal will do nothing but exacerbate the problem and lead to further death and destruction for countless communities. When the government puts the interests and profits of the American Petroleum Institute before the health of human beings and the ability of the planet to sustain life, it is nothing short of political corruption. It’s time that Congress prioritizes the needs of people over the interests of corporations, especially those whose entire business model depends on endangering communities.”

Jennifer Krill, Executive Director of Earthworks: 

“We are here today calling on Senator Schumer to stand in solidarity with Indigenous and frontline leaders and stop Senator Manchin’s dirty permitting bill. Prioritizing the climate crisis means prioritizing environmental justice. Legislation that leads to more drilling and mining is precisely the kind of political side-dealing that has set us back from meeting our urgent climate goals.  It’s time for  Congressional Leadership  and the White House to  take the necessary actions to stop the exploitation of frontline communities, reform our mining policies and stand up to the fossil fuel industry. Congress has sacrificed people for corporate profits for far too long.” 

Edgar Franks, Political Director of Familias Unidas por la Justicia (Independent Farmworker Union):

“We as a farmworker union want to stand on the side of environmental justice. We are one of the communities that are bearing the brunt of climate change and also some of the most disenfranchised politically. The IRA is filled with mechanisms that further widen the divide where we will be continued to be sacrificed for profits to the fossil fuel industry. We look for the time where we will not have to pit environment over jobs. As unions we need to be present and demand real solutions that are led by affected communities.” 

Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch:

“Senator Manchin’s bill is little more than a shameless handout to the fossil fuel industry — a green light for oil and gas companies to keep on digging, drilling, fracking and polluting. At a time when frontline communities and the entire planet are crying out for climate action and clean energy, this dirty backroom deal would drive us deeper into fossil fuel dependence for decades to come. For the sake of countless communities suffering air and water pollution today, and a livable climate for generations to come, this dirty permitting deal must be stopped.”

Ebony Twilley Martin, Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace USA: 

“Sens. Manchin and Schumer’s dirty deal is a disaster. Congress should protect people, not the polluters responsible for climate destruction. This is not permitting reform. This is a giveaway that benefits the oil and gas industry that lines its pockets at the expense of those affected by ongoing climate disasters and extreme weather. This dirty deal sacrifices communities of color that are already carrying the burden from decades of environmental injustice while driving all of us even further into climate devastation. Schumer and Manchin’s efforts to push this through while Congressional committees are investigating Big Oil’s tactics to delay climate action is an attempt to silence those of us who want to protect our communities from drilling in Black and Brown neighborhoods. We will not be silenced. We refuse to be silenced. This deal must be stopped.”

Tom BK Goldtooth, Executive Director of Indigenous Environmental Network:

“Manchin’s permitting reform bill, the Energy Independence and Security Act is a direct threat against the inherent sovereignty and jurisdictional authority of our Indigenous nations and its peoples to protect ourselves from this accelerating climate crisis. The content of the bill strips critical NEPA provisions that Indigenous and other environmental justice communities need in order to take action on destructive projects like pipelines. Pipelines like the Mountain Valley Pipeline will be built with impunity under this bill. This dirty deal will set a precedent for more destructive projects to be implemented without review. We must uplift and protect our Mother Earth, not repeal the minimal provisions that do exist. We must continue to fight against climate greenwashing and false solutions. We must take real action to keep fossil fuels in the ground.” 

José Bravo, Executive Director of Just Transition Alliance: 

“Contrary to all of its environmental justice components, the Inflation Reduction Act sets out to burn billions of public dollars on dangerous and harmful technologies like carbon capture sequestration, nuclear power and bioenergy. Not only will these corporate techno-fixes fail to create additional jobs, they will expand the operations, market control and profits of the world’s largest polluters with massive subsidies that will keep critical investments from going to proven solutions such as local, distributed energy and zero waste. This plan will only increase toxic burdens and financial risk for communities of color and Indigenous communities — communities who were excluded from policy conversations that led to the Act’s arrival and who were once again sold out by racist and greedy politicians.”

Olivia Leirer, Co-Executive Director of New York Communities for Change: 

“This deal is not theoretical for us. It has real life consequences for our communities. Ten years ago during Hurricane Sandy, we saw the devastation and displacement it caused in our members’ lives and how they are still impacted today. This deal must be stopped. The planet and our communities cannot afford it.” 

Elizabeth Bast, Executive Director of Oil Change International: 

“We cannot protect our climate without ending our reliance on fossil fuels and phasing out extraction. The data is clear on this. What’s more, frontline and Indigenous communities have been clear for decades that fossil fuels are not clean, not safe, and not needed. Manchin’s dirty deal would set us back on climate action and directly threaten the health and wellbeing of communities in the path of oil and gas projects.”

Maria Harmon, Co-Executive Director of Step Up Louisiana: 

“Our communities have been suffering for far too long from the impact of harmful pollution from petro-chemical, and gas and oil companies. I have family members who have died from rare forms of cancer and other terminal diseases by way of chemical exposure! Our lives have value and we deserve to live in healthy environments that provide us with opportunities to thrive! We cannot allow political deals to continue to sacrifice our lives and communities.” 

Lauren Maunus, Advocacy Director for Sunrise Movement: 

“I’m angry and frustrated that this is how we have to spend our time after the Inflation Reduction Act — less than 50 days before the midterms — when we could and should be devoting our full attention to helping Democrats expand the majority and fight fascism. But instead, we are forced to pressure our leaders to stop a dangerous permitting deal that will impose suffering on the people and places we love. Stop the permitting deal now.”

Leaders from the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition, which organized a major rally in D.C. against the Dirty Deal, respond to Manchin’s latest draft.

(Washington, D.C) – Grassroots and frontline climate justice leaders with People vs. Fossil Fuels, a coalition of over 1,200 groups working to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure, slammed the draft permitting legislation that Senator Manchin released today as a “dirty deal” that would directly harm communities, undermine environmental justice, and worsen the climate emergency. 

Over 650 organizations have signed a letter calling on Congress to oppose Manchin’s side deal. On September 8, People vs. Fossil Fuels, the Stop MVP coalition, and Protect Our Water Heritage and Rights organized a major protest in DC against the dirty deal and the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Despite Senator Manchin’s claims, the pipeline will not alleviate energy woes and does not match the anticipated drop in demand. 

Responses to Manchin’s permitting legislation released today:  

“Manchin’s deal equals a climate catastrophe for Appalachia, Coastal communities and the World! We will NOT be sacrificed! We call on the House AND Senate to give America a clean “Manchin free” bill. Strengthen NEPA, and let pollution overburdened communities be heard, and heeded!” – John Beard, Executive Director of the Port Arthur Community Action Network.

“Senator Manchin has shown a continued lack of respect for Frontline communities. The climate crisis has reached a point where it is a global issue for everyone, the federal government ignored the most impacted communities when we tried to warn about the real impacts of dangerous polluters like the oil industry. We can no longer afford to ignore our most vulnerable neighbors and this dirty deal puts me and my community in danger. Our lives are not to be used for political leverage.” – Cesar Aguirre, Central California Environmental Justice Network 

“Black, Indigenous, communities of the global majority, and poor communities are not sacrifice zones for corrupt politicians like Manchin and Schumer who benefit from big oil’s windfall profits. Our communities have already lost so much from environmental racism but there is so much to save. The science is clear about the worsening climate crisis, we have no time to waste on dirty side deals. We will fight for healthy futures for future generations.” – Jennifer K. Falcon, Ikiya Collective

​​”For eight years we have tirelessly fought the Mountain Valley Pipeline and other fossil fuel projects in West Virginia and Virginia,” said Russell Chisholm, Mountain Valley Watch Coordinator. “Nearly a decade of our lives and our health has been shaped by fighting these unnecessary projects as the climate crisis escalates and pummels our homes with intensified storms and floods. Manchin’s dirty pipeline deal is an insult to his constituents and furthers a fossil-fueled death sentence to many people and the planet. We demand more public input and a livable future. That is why we are mobilizing to stop this bill.”

“This deal is nothing short of a criminal act, a giveaway to Big Oil and Gas at the expense of Indigenous, Black, Brown, and economically challenged communities. It violates a core tenet of Environmental Justice – that our voices matter, that our community input is needed on projects that impact our lives, water, air and bodies. Sen. Manchin and Democrat leadership are proving once again that they are not for the people, but only for profit. This dirty deal must not pass.” said Joye Braun, National Pipelines Organizer, Indigenous Environmental Network,  Cheyenne River Sioux member.

“Sen Machin’s Dirty Deal will do nothing more than continue to crutch the already dying fossil fuel industry,” said Pueblo Action Alliance, a Pueblo Indigenous and frontline organization in the Southwest. “In the wake of what is currently happening to our relatives in Alaska and Puerto Rico, the US is deciding to further fund a fossil fuel industry that is directly responsible for these climate disasters in the first place. This is a HUGE and DEVASTATING blow to our communities on the frontlines of climate chaos who deserve REAL SOLUTIONS right now. No more funding for the criminal fossil fuel industry. No more leasing! We deserve a fair and just transition to renewable energies NOW! Stop the Dirty Deal!” 

“Farmers and ranchers have, for the past decade, stood with allies to protect the land and water from risky fossil fuel projects. Sen. Manchin wants to take away property rights and side with pipelines over people.” – Jane Kleeb, Founder, Bold Alliance.

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Members of People vs. Fossil Fuels, ShutDown DC and Extinction Rebellion interrupt Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act celebration, citing blatant display of environmental racism

(Washington, D.C) – Today, frontline and climate activists disrupted President Biden’s celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a piece of legislation that includes a racist, dirty side deal that will push through new deadly fossil fuel projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline and cause irreparable harm to marginalized communities across the country. Their main message: A celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act is a celebration of environmental racism. 

The group convened both inside and outside of the event, with organizers outside holding banners and handing out literature to attendees upon their arrival to educate them about the dirty energy side deal and the harm it will cause to frontline communities. Inside the White House, activists stripped off their blazers and business clothes to reveal t-shirts that donned the statement “Racist Dirty Energy Deal” with a strike through it. 

The IRA and the side permitting deal that Senator Manchin and Senator Schumer struck up behind closed doors are symbiotic. If passed, the side deal will severely weaken the governmental safeguards in place to prevent community and environmental harm from many types of energy projects. By no surprise, the demographics of the majority of the people at the White House celebrating the IRA as a “climate deal” does not match the demographics of those most impacted by the climate crisis. 

Last week, more than 600 people convened for a rally in front of the U.S. Capitol to call on Congress to end the dirty side deal and stop the sacrificing of frontline and BIPOC communities. Members of the group spent the day lobbying Congress members – including Manchin himself – asking them to oppose the deal and fulfill other demands of their respective communities.

A vote is expected by September 30, 2022 and tensions continue to mount in Congress, as leaders like Sen. Sanders and Rep. Grijalva speak out against the bill, warning, “permitting provisions [in this bill] will significantly and disproportionately impact low-income communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color.”

Below are quotes from attendees from today’s action at the White House:

“If Republicans passed a piece of legislation that included opening up 600 million acres of oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico, dedicated billions of dollars to unproven, notional technologies like carbon capture and sequestration, extended the life of aging nuclear power plants, allowed for increased mining of uranium, and tied it to a commitment to ratify a separate, rubber stamped American Petroleum Institute side deal that would deregulate landmark environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act, as well as the Clean Water Act, which have both acted as vanguards for historically marginalized environmental justice communities, would Democrats and historically white-led groups still be celebrating?” asked Anthony Rogers-Wright, Director of Environmental Justice with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. He added, “The fact that the demographics of those celebrating this as a “climate victory” don’t match the demographics of those most impacted by the climate crisis, along with the fact that Big Oil cartels are also celebrating passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and its associated Schumer/Manchin side deal should tell you everything you need to know and make you question the true intentions and values of many historically white-led environmental organizations.”

“It is unconscionable that Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi have agreed to a corrupt, industry-backed deal in a secretive process that excluded public participation, and especially the voices of the Indigenous, Black, Brown, and poor communities most impacted by dirty energy infrastructure and by climate disasters,” said Basav Sen, Climate Policy Director at the Institute for Policy Studies. “This is a textbook example of high-level government corruption, and it exposes U.S. claims of being a “climate leader” as self-serving propaganda.”

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