by Victoria Brandon, Redwood Chapter Chair
Just as the Redwood Needles was going to press, the long-awaited text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) toxic trade deal was released to public view -- and the environmental consequences revealed in the detailed language turn out to be even worse than expected.
In the words of Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune: “We now have concrete evidence that the Trans-Pacific Partnership threatens our families, our communities, and our environment. It’s no surprise that the deal is rife with polluter giveaways that would undermine decades of environmental progress, threaten our climate, and fail to adequately protect wildlife because big polluters helped write the deal. . . . Many provisions in the deal’s environment chapter are toothless and fail to offer any of the protections proponents of this deal have touted.”
Unbelievably in the 21st century, the words “climate change” don’t even appear in the text. Instead, the TPP will allow massive fossil fuel corporations to threaten public health and challenge climate safeguards in unaccountable trade tribunals.
The ultimate decision will be up to Congress, which will be under immense pressure from the administration to support the deal instead of standing up for American jobs, clean air and water, and climate protection. All three members of Redwood Chapter’s Congressional delegation -- Representatives Jared Huffman, John Garamendi and Mike Thompson -- voted against Fast Track and are expected to stand firm when the TPP comes up for a vote, but they need to hear from us, and to know that their grassroots constituents are behind them.
Please take a moment to contact your Congressman to thank him for his vote against Fast Track, and to encourage him to oppose the TPP. They all accept emails from constituents through their Congressional websites, or you can call 415 258-9657 (Huffman); 530 753-5301 (Garamendi); and 707 226-9898 (Thompson). Please tell the aide who answers (or the message machine) that you are calling at the request of the Sierra Club.
For more information on Sierra Club’s Responsible Trade Program, please contact Courtenay.Lewis@sierraclub.org