After decades of working tirelessly to get these climate, jobs, and justice investments passed by Congress, and after decades of dedicated campaigning by everyone in our people-powered movement, we have finally scored a critical victory. The Inflation Reduction Act has passed the House and Senate and President Biden is expected to sign it next week.
We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to every one of you who took action -- in small and large ways -- to get us to this moment.
Like many of you, I'm reflecting on what this bill means for the communities we call home. I am the daughter of refugees who made their way to Dearborn, Michigan for a shot at a better life. My father was a proud UAW factory worker at Ford and my mother was a Head Start teacher.
Although many of these jobs gave families like mine better wages and benefits, my community has had to bear the brunt of corporate and industrial pollution. Dearborn stands to benefit from many of the provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act -- including significant investments to make manufacturing cleaner and incentives for the auto industry to produce domestic electric vehicles that are increasingly powered by renewable energy.2
For too many communities, this bill also comes with harmful trade-offs. Leasing mandates seek to lock in a continued role for the fossil fuel industry in already heavily polluted places like the Gulf South and Appalachia, while expanding operations in the Arctic. It is unacceptable that this oil and gas leasing will be tied to clean energy development, threatening frontline communities.
The Sierra Club will continue to support Black, Indigenous, low-income, and communities of color that are disproportionately affected by oil and gas development. We will demand equitable implementation of the IRA, making sure communities most directly affected are prioritized.
Passing this bill is not the end of our call for climate action, but is real progress toward a healthy and safe future for all. Please spread the word on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or forward this email!
Thank you for being part of this movement and helping make today possible.
Sincerely,
Hebah Kassem
Acting Director
A Living Economy
Sierra Club