John,

The Biden administration is seeking public comment on a federal rule known as the Federal Acquisition Regulation: Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial Risk, that would require federal contractors to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and, for the largest contractors, to release a plan to reduce emissions in line with Paris Agreement levels.

This is a huge step in holding federal contractors -- specifically military contractors -- accountable for their devastating impacts on the environment and vulnerable communities.

Superfund sites are areas that have been contaminated with hazardous, toxic materials -- usually from former military bases, factories, and landfills -- and have been designated for clean-up by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Currently, about 21 million Americans live within a mile of a Superfund site which exposes them to numerous toxic chemicals and greatly increases their risk of long-term, potentially fatal illnesses such as cancer and birth defects. There is research to show that living near toxic waste sites shortens lifespans by an average of 1.2 years.¹

Add your name to fight for environmental justice and to hold federal contractors accountable for climate change.

There are around 400 active or closed military bases where the use of toxic chemicals has contaminated the water, air, and soil of local communities, which are disproportionately rural. The military frequently outsources the disposal of its hazardous waste to contractors, but there’s very little oversight. As a result, many cleanup jobs remain unfinished or illegally dumped, thus posing significant health risks to local communities.²

An EPA report from 2020 estimated that Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) made up almost half the total population living within three miles of all Superfund sites -- that equaled 21% of all BIPOC living in the U.S. at that time.³

The Biden administrations’ move in seeking public comment is the first step towards making marginalized low-income communities safer and healthier for children and families. So far, most of the comments are from industry groups that are in opposition to the rule. Let’s make our voices heard!

Submit your comment today to drown out the corporate voices that want to continue poisoning our communities. The comment period ends on February 13th – click here to take action today.

Thank you for all you do to support vulnerable communities,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ Millions of Americans Live Near Toxic Waste Sites. How Does This Affect Their Health?
² Military bases’ contamination will affect water for generations
³ Population Surrounding 1,857 Superfund Remedial Sites