Media Contact:
Justin Wasser, 202.753.7016, jwasser@earthworks.org
Background: The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY), would lock the U.S. into decades of fossil fuel use and remove safeguards for mining, an industry that disproportionately harms and impacts Indigenous communities and is governed by rules and protections that haven’t been updated since 1872. The bill would result in the construction of more fossil fuel infrastructure, increase oil and gas drilling on public lands, and reverse the Biden administration’s pause on pending approvals of new liquid “natural” gas (LNG) projects. It would further limit the ability of residents to influence decisions on heavy-industrial projects in their communities and seek justice when harmed.
Statement from Earthworks Policy Director Lauren Pagel:
“Communities on the frontlines of mining extraction and fossil fuel projects deserve more protections, not fewer. Every person impacted by heat waves, wildfires, and extreme storms deserves leaders who accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, not offer big giveaways to corporate polluters.
“Congress must reject yet another handout to corporate polluters that are making record profits off of hurting communities and the climate. This legislation weakens environmental and health protections and restricts opportunities for communities to make decisions about what happens in their backyards.
“We must move forward with policies that support a clean, just, and equitable energy future. This legislation would take us backward and tip the permitting process towards extractive industries’ interests.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- Earthworks Blog: The Energy Permitting Reform Act: A Zombie Bill Prioritizing Polluters Over Communities (07/29/24)
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