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December 15, 2022
Contact: [email protected], 301-613-4767

FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES WON’T CONTINUE TO SERVE AS SACRIFICE ZONES FOR
DIRTY INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY AT THE HANDS OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

BIDEN’S SUPPORT FOR MANCHIN’S DIRTY DEAL SACRIFICES BLACK, BROWN AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AGAIN AND GUTS BASIC RIGHTS

-------------------------

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Biden’s recent statement to organize support for
Manchin’s Dirty Deal signals that the Democratic President’s commitment
to those hit first and worst by the climate crisis is fickle at best.
Powerful grassroots community organizing from across the US and thousands
of frontline communities beat back this dirty deal twice now within a span
of 6 months. Throwing our communities under the bus to please a rogue
Senator who is beholden to the oil and gas industry goes against every
commitment the Democratic President has made to climate justice and even
calls into question the intentions behind his Justice40 Initiative. We
can’t let this stand.

With our nation’s most vulnerable communities’ rights being stripped
away at every turn over the past few years, we won’t acquiesce to a
further erosion of them at the hands of our supposed friends. With
elections coming in another two years, Democrats can’t afford to either.
Rather than going back on promises made to those who elected him just to
help one lone Senator, now is the time to actually deliver to those
communities who were courted on the campaign trail.

IT’S SIMPLE: MANCHIN'S DIRTY “PERMITTING REFORM” DEAL IS NO DEAL FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES AT ALL. Without the foundational
protections afforded us under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
and other bedrock protections like the Clean Water Act that ensure a
pathway for community recourse against toxic and polluting industries,
those on the frontlines of the climate crisis will be sacrificed again for
the sake of big business and industry profits.

This move is unacceptable, and any attempt to dress this dirty deal up as
green, clean, or beneficial to poor and working class communities is an
outright lie and just another perversion of hallmark legislation that must
be enhanced, not gutted.

_“Strengthening the federal environmental review process and safeguarding
benefits for communities, not future disparities is what’s in order.
Giving a green light for more environmental and human degradation and
destruction is unacceptable. With adequate community consultation and
design involvement from the beginning, we know projects can move forward
without delay, as recent __studies have confirmed_ [4]_. Stripping this out
would only further slow down the process, sanction harm and codify future
harm for Black, Brown, Indigenous and other frontline communities.”
according to __ELIZABETH YEAMPIERRE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT UPROSE &
CO-CHAIR OF CLIMATE JUSTICE ALLIANCE._

_“__It appears that Democratic leadership would rather sacrifice our
communities again, for short term political gain, rather than stay true to
those who elected them by enacting real climate justice legislation.
Let’s be clear, this is environmental racism and environmental injustice
at its finest.” __said __MARIA LOPEZ-__NUÑEZ__, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING AT IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION AND CJA BOARD
MEMBER._

_“By publicly undermining environmental justice communities to promote
fast-tracked permitting in Senator Manchin’s dirty deal, President Biden
has signaled that he supports profits of extractive industries over the
human rights of the people. The White House needs to understand that the
country’s climate goals will never be reached without meaningful
engagement with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities. We need
Democratic leadership that is willing to say no to back-door deals and
political games, and stand up for environmental and climate justice.”
added __JORDAN HARMON, POLICY ANALYST AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE AT
INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK_

_“After a ten year fight, here in Los Angeles we are celebrating a huge
win with the STAND-L.A. coalition in getting the Los Angeles City Council
to phase out oil drilling. Manchin’s dirty deal will take us in the wrong
direction, worsening the climate crisis while the rest of the country is
already phasing out and shutting down the fossil fuel industry and ensuring
a Just Transition. Frontline communities are watching and will hold
President Biden accountable if he breaks his promises, including supporting
this dirty deal.” said __DARRYL MOLINA SARMIENTO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT
COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT_

_"Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities should not be sacrifice zones
for the fossil fuel industry and polluting corporations. It is outrageous
to see that President Biden supports legislation that goes against every
effort to dismantle environmental racism that his administration has
committed to for the past two years. Senator Manchin’s dirty deal will
fast track oil pipelines and toxic infrastructure in communities who are
most impacted and overburdened by pollution all over the country. This
administration’s continuous support of a bill full of fossil fuel
projects and false solutions casts tremendous doubts on the effectiveness
of its Justice40 program.” stated __JUAN JHONG-CHUNG, CLIMATE JUSTICE
DIRECTOR AT MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COALITION._

_“Frontline environmental justice leaders have made it clear Manchin’s
dirty energy deal would undercut bedrock environmental protections like
NEPA, fast-track more dirty fossil fuel projects, and harm communities.
Democratic leadership is throwing frontline communities under the bus to
fulfill an undemocratic ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Joe Manchin.
This bill has actually gone from bad to worse in the Senate, and it is
plain to see it is not about building renewable energy. President Biden is
sticking his neck out for Manchin and the fossil fuel industry. If the
President and Senators are really going to be leaders on environmental
justice, they will stop this dirty energy deal.” said __ADRIEN SALAZAR,
POLICY DIRECTOR OF GRASSROOTS GLOBAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE._

Climate and environmental justice communities call on President Biden to
stop this pandering once and for all and do the right thing. We also call
on Senators to say no to this dirty side deal and instead stand with those
who elected you. WE NEED TO FAST TRACK A JUST TRANSITION, NOT A DIRTY ONE.

###

_Climate Justice Alliance is a member-led organization of 89 urban and
rural frontline communities, organizations and support networks in the
climate justice movement. We work to build real solutions to the climate
crisis through building local, living, regenerative economies while also
organizing against the harmful practice of using frontline communities as
sacrifice zones._

Climate Justice Alliance

1960A University Ave
Berkeley, CA, 94704
United States


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