March 19, 2020
Re: Coronavirus aid package and the fossil fuel industry
Dear Leaders McConnell and Schumer, Chairwoman Murkowski and Ranking Member Manchin:
On behalf of our millions of members and activists nationwide, we write to you with deep concerns about the proposed stimulus package. According to the Trump administration, support for the oil and gas industry could become part of the federal response to the coronavirus.
Whether in the form of low-interest loans, purchases into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, royalty relief, or new tax subsidies, any additional giveaways to polluters should be stripped from the stimulus package. The current cost of federal polluter subsidies is some $15 billion per year. For the sake of our climate and our communities, it is irresponsible to add to this considerable bill.
An economic transition driven by the market alone is invariably cruelest to workers. While we support a just transition for the entire fossil fuel sector, we strongly oppose government intervention to protect the extractive status quo. The coronavirus must not become a pretext for a fracking bailout. Now is the time for the federal government to be providing universal sick leave, unemployment benefits, increased access to food, and free virus testing for all.
This time of climate crisis and economic peril calls for a forward-thinking approach that serves the people, not another bailout to prop up the dirty energy industry. Any federal response must first and foremost prioritize urgent public health needs. Economic aid should be provided directly to individuals and vulnerable communities, not massive corporations already receiving billions of our tax dollars.
Sincerely,
1.
Assateague Coastal Trust/Assateague COASTKEEPER
2.
Avodah
3.
Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community
4.
Bold Alliance
5.
Breathe Project
6.
CA Urban Streams Alliance – The Stream Team
7.
California Young Democrats Environmental Caucus
8.
Center for Biological Diversity
9.
Center for Sustainable Economy
10.
Central Maryland Beekeepers Association
11.
Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund
12.
Citizens to Protect the Ambridge Reservoir
13.
Clean Water Action
14.
Climate Hawks Vote
15.
Climate Justice Alliance
16.
Conservation Law Foundation
17.
CYD Enviro Caucus
18.
Endangered Species Coalition
19.
Earth Forum of Howard County, Maryland
20.
EarthRights International
21.
Earthworks
22.
Environment America
23.
Faithful America
24.
Food & Water Action
25.
Friends of the Earth
26.
Global Witness
27.
Green Belt Movement International - NA
28.
GreenLatinos
29.
Greenpeace USA
30.
Hip Hop Caucus
31.
Indigenous Environmental Network
32.
Institute for Policy Studies, Climate Policy Program
33.
John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute
34.
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
35.
Maryland Legislative Coalition
36.
New York Communities for Change
37.
NextGen America
38.
Oil Change U.S.
39.
Partnership for Policy Integrity
40.
PennEnvironment
41.
Physicians for Social Responsibility
42.
Progressive Democrats of America
43.
Protect PT
44.
Public Citizen
45.
Publish What You Pay US
46.
Rainforest Action Network
47.
Resource Renewal Institute
48.
Sierra Club
49.
Sunrise Hub DC
50.
Sunrise Movement
51.
Sunrise Phx Hub
52.
Sunrise Williamsburg
53.
Sustainable Energy & Economy Network
54.
SustainUS
55.
The Climate Reality Project
56.
The Leap
57.
Waterkeeper Alliance
58.
WISE
59.
Young Democrats of America Environmental Caucus
60.
198 Methods
61.
350.org62.
350 Seattle
