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June 15, 2022 – Biden’s latest move to address inflation and overall economic hardship by asking the CEOs of fossil fuel companies to increase production will not solve this current crisis. Instead it will sacrifice more Black and Brown communities and all those living on the fencelines of refineries, who continue to bear the brunt of the climate crisis.
Instead of calling out oil and gas giants for their greed and in the same breath asking them to produce more, Biden should call on the fossil fuel industry to stabilize prices. The biggest oil companies posted profits totaling $75 billion last year – they can stabilize prices now without ramping up refineries that would hurt already impacted frontline communities.
If the White House wants to truly fix the climate crisis and demonstrate its commitment to Black, Brown and other low-income communities, he should declare a climate emergency and immediately invest in safe, clean, and local Just Transitions to wind, solar and other community developed renewables.
This was a missed opportunity for Biden to reign in corporate greed and show his solidarity with those on the frontlines of the interlinked economic and climate crises. With record temperatures slated to hit much of the country this week amidst raging wildfires and floods, increased dirty energy production is unacceptable and will only sacrifice more lives. We must keep fossil fuels in the ground.
Together with 1,140 organizations earlier this year, CJA issued a letter calling on President Biden to use his Executive powers to immediately 1) ban all new oil and gas contracts on federal areas, 2) stop approving fossil fuel projects, and 3) declare a climate emergency under the National Emergencies Act that will unlock special powers to fast track renewable projects that will benefit us all.
We stand firm on these demands and encourage Biden to stand true to his commitments to our communities and build a truly safe, clean and just future for us all.
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