Local Advocates and Impacted Community Members to Stage Day of Action to Protect National Environmental Policy Act

**For reporters who cannot attend in person, the press conference will be live-streamed on Facebook. WATCH HERE at 8:30am MT.**

(Denver, CO) -- On Tuesday, February 11, local elected officials, leading members of frontline and Indigenous communities, and environmental advocates from across the country will host a day of action calling on the Trump administration to protect the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

In January, the Trump administration released a draft rule severely rolling back NEPA--a critical environmental and civil rights law that protects communities from dangerous, rushed, or poorly planned projects and gives the public an opportunity to comment on major federal projects like roads, bridges, and pipelines. Stakeholders will be using the “public hearing” in Denver--one of just two locations across the country--to draw attention to this attack on our climate, public health and public review.

What: 

• Press conference with local elected officials, leading members of frontline and Indigenous communities, and environmental advocates (8:30-9:00am)
• Rally followed by a “people’s hearing” (12:00-1:00pm)
• Panel discussion about NEPA and stories from frontline communities (4:00-5:30pm)

Who: 

• Full list of speakers to be announced Monday, February 10

When: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 starting at 8:30am MT

Where: The Alliance Center

  1536 Wynkoop St

  Denver, Colorado 80202

RSVP to Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org 

More information at protectyourvoicenow.org. 

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Background Information

The White House Council Environmental Quality (CEQ) on Thursday, January 9th released a draft rule rolling back the implementing procedures for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

The Trump Administration's efforts to undermine NEPA are a thinly veiled attempt to make it easier to rubber stamp projects for corporate polluters, entrench the administration’s denial of climate science and severely restrict public input in federal decision-making.

NEPA requires federal agencies to engage in a review process to identify any significant environmental, economic, social, or health impacts a project may have before decisions are made and construction begins. NEPA’s mandatory public comment periods also provide a powerful tool for local communities to speak up in favor or opposition of major federal actions that affect their health, well-being, and environment. Thanks to NEPA, millions of people have been given a voice in federal government decisions impacting their daily lives.

CEQ is only offering an extremely short comment period of 60-days and 2 public hearings located in Washington, DC and Denver, CO, despite the fact that NEPA is one of the most broadly applicable laws in the entire federal government and applies to every “major federal action” the government takes.

Participating Organizations

350 Colorado

American Indigenous Movement

Animal Welfare Institute

Center for Biological Diversity

Cloud Foundation

Colorado Latino Forum

Colorado Rising

Defend Our Future

Defenders of Wildlife

Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment 

Earthjustice

EARTHWORKS

Frack Free New Mexico

Frack Off Chaco

GreenLatinos

League of Conservation Voters

Moms Clean Air Force

Moving Forward Network

National Parks Conservation Association

Natural Resources Defense Council 

New Energy Economy 

NM Youth United for Climate Crisis Action

Pueblo Action Alliance

Sierra Club

The Wilderness Society

Western Organization of Resource Councils

WildEarth Guardians

Wilderness Workshop