FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2022
Contact: Dana Johnson, dana@weact.org, 917-885-3314 or Chris Dobens, chris@weact.org, 718-679-8542
WASHINGTON – This week news agencies reported the details of proposed permitting reforms that are part of a deal to secure Senator Manchin’s affirmative vote for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Dana Johnson, Senior Director of Strategy and Federal Policy, responded with the following statement:
“Our concern is that the proposed permitting reforms are designed to permanently erode an important tool for democratizing federal projects in communities of color and areas of low income while also prolonging our reliance on fossil fuels. With communities sidelined, corporations will be able to speed up their process without a requirement to disclose conflicts of interest, consider environmental impacts or offer alternative approaches. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 addresses concerns about the pace of project approvals and supports modernizing the process by investing in staff, systems and tools. We should use these investments as a foundation to build even stronger protections for all of us – including those most vulnerable to the effects of environmental racism and climate change.”
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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.