Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Oakland, CA -- The Sierra Club has launched a campaign encouraging people to call on their utilities to reject dirty fuels that may be mined in Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments. Following Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Donald Trump illegally shrinking and dismantling these national monuments, corporate polluters can now bid on leases to mine, frack, and drill in these public spaces for dirty fuels. The ads direct those living in key states to call for their utility companies to reject these dirty fuels and say ‘no’ to any fuel mined in national monuments.
The ads, found here, are running in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and parts of California.
In response, Sierra Club Our Wild America Director Lena Moffitt released the following statement:
“Americans were shocked when Donald Trump and Ryan Zinke ignored the American people and illegally removed protections for our national monuments. The vast majority of Americans want to see these monuments protected -- not destroyed for fossil fuel industry profit. Now, utilities have an opportunity to stand with the public and their consumers who want these lands protected for generations to come.
“Across the country, utilities are already saying ‘no’ to dirty fuels and are instead investing in clean energy as it becomes more affordable and reliable. We’re launching these ads to call on them to continue leading the transition away from dirty and dangerous fuels and towards clean, renewable energy. Should they do so, they will not only be championed by their customers but by millions of people across the country who value these special places.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.