Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org
SAN FRANCISCO — Today, the Sierra Club Bay Area Chapter is announcing that it has pulled its endorsement of San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu and is not endorsing any candidate for the city's mayoral race. The Club's decision is tied directly to the city's ongoing lawsuit against the EPA, a case that experts warn could seriously weaken clean water regulations across the country.
“Endorsements are a key way the Sierra Club telegraphs our values and priorities,” said Martha Kreeger, Chair of the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter. “Instead of safeguarding the environment and prioritizing the health and safety of San Francisco communities, the current mayor and city attorney have instead embraced the polluter’s playbook by suing the EPA. We could not, in good conscience, endorse candidates whose reckless behavior may put the Clean Water Act at risk.”
The controversial lawsuit, which was heard in front of the Supreme Court on October 16, challenges EPA regulations over discharge permits for raw sewage at the Oceanside Treatment Plant. The Sierra Club has publicly opposed this lawsuit, citing it as an opportunity for the current Supreme Court to sharply limit protections from the Clean Water Act. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently passed a resolution also urging the city to withdraw the lawsuit.
“San Francisco currently dumps an average of 1.8 billion gallons of sewage annually into the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, with that number reaching 4 billion gallons during last year's rainy season,” said Scott Webb, Vice Chair of the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter. “Rather than address these serious environmental concerns, city leadership has aligned itself with some of the nation's biggest polluters, including the National Mining Association and American Petroleum Institute. Attacking the Clean Water Act does not represent San Francisco values.”
Despite her significant influence, Mayor Breed has taken no action to stop the lawsuit. City Attorney David Chiu has publicly defended the lawsuit, claiming that the suit is narrow and poses no threat to the Clean Water Act. His claims are disputed by top legal experts, the state of California, and a coalition of 47 local and statewide environmental groups.
The Sierra Club emphasizes that there is still time for the city to change course before the Supreme Court rules. “The Clean Water Act has protected our nation's waters for over 50 years,” added Kreeger. “San Francisco voters deserve candidates who will uphold our city's environmental values, not undermine them. We urge voters to consider the historical implications of this case when casting their ballots for mayor.”
Paid for by Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter PAC, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.