Today President Biden signed an executive order that will pause new leases for fracking and drilling on federal lands and waters for one year! And the administration will conduct a "rigorous review" of existing oil and drilling leases and permits and work with Congress to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.
YOU made this possible! For almost a decade, Food & Water Watch and supporters like you have raised our voices, joined rallies, made phone calls, signed petitions and sent letters to elected officials to protect public lands from oil and gas drilling. It’s your continued and relentless support that allowed us to build this unprecedented victory against Big Oil & Gas.
Thank YOU, John.
President Biden’s action today is a step forward, and represents a significant change of direction. But it’s just a start — it needs to be followed by a strong plan to permanently ban all dirty energy extraction on public lands. We know we can get another step closer to making this happen, but only with your help.
While a pause on drilling is good news, the moratorium will not affect existing leases, meaning fracking continues — at least temporarily — on public lands in the West and the Gulf of Mexico. Every day that drilling and fracking continues is a day lost in the fight to stop climate change. The simple truth is we need to stop drilling and fracking everywhere, as soon as possible.
Building new oil and gas pipelines, power plants and export facilities will only lock us into decades of further reliance on fossil fuels. But if President Biden wants to lead on climate, on a scale that really meets the reality of the climate crisis, he needs to do more. In addition to pausing public land leases and blocking Keystone XL, he needs to:
Permanently ban fracking on public lands;
Reject permits for other fossil fuel projects, like fracked gas export terminals and the Dakota Access, Line 3 and Mountain Valley pipelines;
Phase out existing fossil fuel development and infrastructure across the country.
John, with your help, we can — and we will — stop Big Oil & Gas! Donate today to power the fight to stop fossil fuel development and infrastructure.
Climate instability is a threat for millions of communities across the planet. Fires, floods, and food and water shortages are getting worse. Fracking is playing a part in destroying the climate and endangering the health of Black, Indigenous, brown and many frontline communities that are hardest hit by fracking's pollution.
There is truly no time to waste. With you by our side, now more than ever, we have a chance to move this country forward to protect our communities and the planet from catastrophic climate change. Let’s make sure we keep fighting!
Wenonah Hauter
Founder and Executive Director
Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Action, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate. This email was sent to [email protected] - and we're glad you got it, because it's one of the most important ways you can reclaim political power, hold elected officials accountable and resist corporate control.
