April Thomas, 206.321.3850, april.thomas@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Sierra Club de Puerto Rico chapter and the national Sierra Club organization called on Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign his office, leaving in place public servants with clean records to lead. In San Juan, thousands are marching in the streets to demand Rosselló’s resignation, including members of Sierra Club de Puerto Rico.
Yesterday, the White House issued a statement using the political crisis in Puerto Rico to score political points. The Sierra Club rises in solidarity with the people of Puerto Rico calling for accountability and transparency in their government, while also calling out Donald Trump’s well-documented bias against the people of Puerto Rico.
The unfolding corruption scandal involves the effort to rebuild Puerto Rico’s grid after Hurricane Maria, with implications for Sierra Club’s advocacy for clean energy. The FBI is investigating allegations that a former president at Cobra Energy, a contractor selected to rebuild the island’s grid, used a relationship with a Trump administration official in the Federal Emergency Management Agency to land contracts for Cobra.
In response, Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune issued the following statement:
“The people of Puerto Rico are experiencing violent political repression right now, as police respond to Constitutionally-protected public protest with tear gas. They deserve a voice in their political process and the support of people across the nation as they advocate for accountability in their government.
“This is a crucial moment for Puerto Rico as the recovery from Hurricane Maria continues. The people of Puerto Rico are calling for a one hundred percent clean energy grid, which will require federal funding alongside needs for housing, education and healthcare. It is clear from recent events that the people of Puerto Rico do not trust the ability of the Rosselló administration to carry out these essential tasks. The national Sierra Club, along with the Sierra Club de Puerto Rico chapter, calls upon Governor Rosselló to resign so that Puerto Rico can move forward. We also call on Congress to continue to fight to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have access to the recovery funds they need and deserve.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.