WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Respond to President Biden and the European Commission Announcement
To Diversify and Expand LNG Exports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2022
Contact: Anastasia Gordon, WE ACT for Environmental Justice (anastasia@weact.org) and Olivia Solow-Niederman, DSCEJ (osolow-niederman@skdknick.com)
WASHINGTON – Last week, WE ACT for Environmental Justice and the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice were among 40+ environmental justice groups and 29 allies and supporters that sent a letter to President Biden and high-ranking members of his administration that called for halting the proposed buildout of new and expanded gas export facilities to ensure we reach our national net zero by 2050 emission goals and transition to a renewable energy future that addresses climate change, energy insecurity and environmental injustices. These groups represent communities across the country that are disproportionately and adversely affected by the oil and gas industry. The letter asks for:
- President Biden to direct the Department of Energy to use its regulatory authority to halt gas exports.
- The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to embed climate and environmental justice in environmental and public interest reviews and stop LNG projects.
- The Environmental Protection Agency to be better engaged in the permitting and environmental review processes at FERC and Department of Transportation to block LNG export facilities or expansions.
- The White House to urge Congress to align with the Build Back Better domestic agenda by expanding and increasing federal funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Weatherization Assistance Program.
Both organizations are extremely disappointed to see the United States and the European Commission announcement today on plans to expand the supply of Liquefied Natural Gas produced in and exported from the United States to Europe and have issued the following statements:
“These are uncertain times. With the current international conflict and escalating energy prices, it is time for the Administration to move away from fossil fuels, including halting LNG exports and infrastructure buildout. Building even more LNG export terminals would lock in fossil fuel infrastructure and pollution for decades to come,” said Peggy Shepard, Co-founder and Executive Director at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “More than ever before, we need to speed up the transition towards low-cost, reliable renewable energy and expand federal home energy and weatherization programs to tackle the climate crisis, support national energy security, and begin to address the environmental, economic, and health harms imposed on environmental justice communities by the oil and gas industry.”
“As an environmental justice scholar, advocate, leader and most importantly, lifelong resident of Louisiana, I’ve seen and experienced firsthand the prioritization of profit from the oil and gas industry over the health and livelihoods of the communities destroyed by oil and gas facilities,” said Dr. Beverly Wright, Founding Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. “LNG terminal expansion perpetuates the injustice we’ve seen for decades, switching out one form of pollution for another only serves those in power while putting an undue burden on Black communities. As we work to expand renewable energy solutions, we must also attack the sources of the problem, including systemic environmental racism. The effort to build more LNG facilities and increase production is negligent and careless.”
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About WE ACT for Environmental Justice
WE ACT for Environmental Justice is a Northern Manhattan membership-based organization whose mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and/or low-income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. WE ACT has offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Visit us at weact.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
Families in the Gulf Coast deserve to live in communities that are free from deadly air and are more resilient to climate change and extreme weather. The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) works to empower and engage communities to put environmental justice and equity at the center of all climate action. Led by environmental justice scholar and advocate, author, civic leader and professor of Sociology Dr. Beverly L. Wright, the DSCEJ uses research, education, and community and student engagement to advocate for policy change, lead health and safety training for environmental careers, develop social and emotional community wellness programs, and create new and environmentally healthy opportunities for the residents of communities disproportionately impacted by historic environmental injustice.