FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2022
Contact: Juan Jhong-Chung (juan@michiganej.org), 313-355-4146
In response to news reports that Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) would not support a reconciliation package with climate and energy investments, Juan Jhong-Chung, Climate Justice Director at Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, responded:
“Low-income communities and communities of color are hurting from high gas prices at the pump; from climate change-induced heat waves and flooding; from skyrocketing utility bills; from toxic air pollution released by power plants; and many other issues caused by greedy corporations. Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry makes record-breaking profits that they funnel as political contributions to protect their interests in Congress.
This is the second time Sen. Manchin has blocked a deal which would have brought much needed investments to our communities in Michigan and around the country. Manchin has betrayed his constituents in West Virginia, and has given the fossil fuel industry control of our democracy.
We demand that President Biden and Democratic leadership stand up to corporate shills in Congress and protect Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and poor communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis and the crisis of environmental racism. They must use every possible tool at their disposal to:
Stop all new fossil fuel projects;
End fossil fuel leasing of federal land;
Declare a national climate emergency;
Ensure robust accountability and implementation of Justice40 investments by impacted communities; and
Ensure that no federal investments advance harmful false solutions such as nuclear power, hydrogen, or carbon capture and storage technologies.”