By Kait Krolik and Brian Beffort
Although Covid might be the only thing you see in the news these days, polluters are still hard at work, and Sierra Club is standing strong in support of our environment, public health, and the environment. Here are a few updates:
Five Principles for Bailout & COVID19 response
In the lead up to the Covid stimulus and relief package, Sierra Club partnered with People’s Action, Sunrise Movement, and the Service Employees International Unition to draft Five Principles to ensure that any stimulus or relief package include health, support for workers and communities over corporate executives, a down payment on a regenerative economy and protections for democracy. Since the release of these principles, hundreds of organizations across the country and world have signed on as well as some members of Congress.
EPA Eases Pollution Restrictions for Car Fuel Standards
On March 30th, the Trump administration rolled back fuel efficiency standards established during the Obama administration. The rolled back rule required car manufacturers to average 54 miles per gallon by 2025 for their fleets. The new Trump rule reduces that fuel efficiency standard from 54 miles per gallon by 2025 to 40 miles per gallon.
Nevada’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor’s Office of Energy released a joint statement Friday criticizing the Trump administration’s decision. Our Toiyabe Chapter Director, Brian Beffort, was quoted by the Nevada Independent: “As families face a growing health and economic crisis, Donald Trump and [EPA Administrator] Andrew Wheeler’s action endangers communities, exacerbates the climate emergency, and takes money out of people’s wallets.”
But the EPA didn't stop with vehicles. They have also proposed to roll back environmental regulations governing mercury emissions, toxic ash, and the consideration of climate change during planning processes. Read more details here.
Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto sent this letter to the Department of Interior, asking them to postpone federal land actions that require public comment.
Click here to tell the EPA to Stop Giving Polluters and Free Pass During the Epidemic.
BLM Decides to Move Forward with Pinyon-Juniper Treatment
One of the most unfortunate continuation of normality during the time of COVID-19 is federal environmental projects. The federal government is not only moving forward on projects but speeding up the process that disrupts public lands during a time when everyone is focused on their own livelihood. In Nevada, the BLM has fast-tracked a plan to remove Pinyon and Juniper trees to protect against wildfires and support sage-grouse habitat without proper environmental analysis or public comment. The Sierra Club joined numerous other organization in opposing this proposal. Click here to add your voice.
Federal Pursuit of Profit Over Public Health and the Environment
A new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities found that in the month after President Trump signed the first emergency coronavirus bill on March 6, the Interior Department pursued 57 policy actions unrelated to COVID-19. While small businesses were shutting down and our communities were sheltering in place, DOI moved ahead with unfettered oil and gas leasing, removing protections for endangered wildlife, and expanding mining operations across the country.
Of those actions (some of which took place in Nevada), 34 were public comment periods that were opened or closed by the Interior Department despite numerous requests from local elected officials, members of Congress, Sierra Club and other organizations that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt suspend rulemakings during the pandemic.
The Chinese symbols for crisis combine "wei" meaning danger, and "ji" when means "a point where things happen, change"; a less-common meaning for "ji" is "opportunity." At least according to the linguists at Wikipedia.
Our point: Covide-19 has brought great danger to our communities. It has exposed parts of our society that need changing, and it brings opportunity for us to replace disfunctional systems (and presidential administrations) with better ways of doing things; ways that respect people and the planet on which we all depend. Sierra Club locally and nationally is dedicated to standing strong in pursuit of those better days.
Be well, everyone.