Take Action: Stop the Senate from Handing Over Public Lands and Waters to Polluters

The Senate’s powerful Energy and Natural Resources Committee has approved big handouts to fossil fuel executives that will harm our communities and lock in decades of fossil fuel emissions. The committee has paired these handouts with improvements in transmission siting policy. (We at LCV are fighting for improved transmission without contributing to fossil fuels’ continued dominance.)

The bill, sponsored by Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Barrasso (R-WY), could be jammed into a must-pass bill to be considered by the full Senate. We need a HUGE show of force from environmentalists like you to stop this handover of America’s lands and waters to Big Oil and other corporate polluters.

We’ve set a goal to deliver 8,000 petition signatures this week. Please take action right now to help us reach our goal >>

DEVELOPING — A dangerous proposal to hand over untold acres of public lands and waters to polluters is currently gaining momentum in the Senate. The environmental movement needs to act quickly to protect fragile landscapes, already overburdened communities, and our climate goals.

Here’s the situation, Friend: before the Senate left Washington for their summer recess, Senators Manchin (D-WV) and Barrasso (R-WY) sprung a proposal to fast-track federal approval for dirty energy, transmission, and other projects on their colleagues. They then scheduled a last-minute committee vote, advancing their bill to the full Senate.

This legislation would harm our communities and our climate — and we need your help to stop it. Their bill calls for:

• Giving away our public lands and waters to Big Oil by extending drilling permits.
• Holding more mandatory auctions for fossil fuel companies to scoop up public lands and waters for pennies on the dollar.
• Allowing mining companies to use unlimited public lands as dumping sites for toxic waste.
• Rubber-stamping a massive buildout of climate harming liquified methane gas (LNG) exports.
• Jamming communities, particularly low-income communities and communities of color, on any attempts to pursue their day in court on massive, potentially damaging projects.

Friend, put simply: this bill would force the federal government to ignore or bypass critical environmental safeguards, giving more handouts to fossil fuel executives who put their profits ahead of our health and safety.

Congress could begin taking up this legislation soon after the election. We need a huge show of force from environmentalists like you to prevent this massive giveaway to polluters from sneaking into any must-pass legislation.

Please, act now. Help us reach 8,000 signatures to stop the Senate from handing over our lands and waters to big polluters and cutting communities out of decisions that could harm them >>

Thanks for standing up to Big Oil, Friend. Together, I know that we can protect our communities, lands, our waters, and our climate.

Onward, 

Matthew Davis
Vice President of Federal Policy
League of Conservation Voters