Climate Justice Alliance Statement on Looming Government Shutdown
Says Shutdown Must Not Sacrifice Environmental Justice Communities
New York, NY – As Republicans in Congress have not reached a budget deal, the government is going to shut down starting this Sunday, October 1. The shutdown will impact our economy, impair millions of Americans’ ability to access critical services, and open a floodgate of ill-conceived and harmful “compromises” (particularly around funding proven climate solutions and the needs/services of marginalized communities,) Congress will try to push through in this crisis moment.
In response, Marion Gee, co-Executive Director of the Climate Justice Alliance, a national coalition of more than 100 frontline climate justice groups, released the following statement:
“We saw last year and earlier this year around Manchin’s dirty permitting deal how willing Congress is to make behind closed door deals that gut bedrock environmental protection laws and community input processes.
“We must continue to hold our elected officials accountable and demand that Congress and the White House reject any proposal that further sacrifices our communities in exchange for avoiding a government shutdown – that means NO guts to NEPA, Clean Air and Clean Water Acts; no further so called permitting reform that further entrenched fossil fuel profits and power; no cuts to Justice40 or other environmental justice investments or hard won achievements; and no riders that target immigrants, LGBTQIA+, abortion, and historically marginalized communities”
Elizabeth Yeampierre, co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance board of directors and Executive Director of UPROSE, one of Climate Justice Alliance’s members, wrote this statement:
With 500 miles of waterfront, New York City’s frontline communities live in the most vulnerable, polluted areas. We are in an incessant state of emergency from flash flooding and extreme weather caused by the climate crisis. Sadly, Congress, particularly the GOP, again reminds us that they are willing to sacrifice millions of people and our future for their own political gains . We are in dire need of forward thinking leadership committed to supporting proven frontline community solutions and we need it now.”
Alejandria Lyons, Coalition Coordinator, New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition, another Climate Justice Alliance member, released this statement:
“It is deadly to weaponize ideological differences about spending priorities to justify reducing FEMA’s budget and other cuts that halt our response to the climate crisis as climate disasters continue to increase in frequency and impact.
“Fiscal conservatism is a disingenuous and myopic point in the face of heat waves, floods, and wildfires– events that are more than just warning signs, but a deadly alarm that requires a fundamental shift in how we govern and manage capital. The looming potential of another government shutdown even as lawmakers intimately know its implications on our communities is indicative that the system is not working.“
