Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Stakeholders and leaders from across the country to join advocates at rally opposing the Trump Administration’s plans to gut bedrock environmental and civil rights law
Washington, DC -- On Tuesday, February 25, Representative Grijalva, environmental, labor and environmental justice leaders, and voices from across the country will participate in a rally just outside the Trump administration’s public hearing on the proposed rollbacks to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Stakeholders will be using the public hearing in Washington -- the second of just two hearings across the country--to draw attention to this attack on our climate, public health and public review.
In January, the Trump administration released a draft rule severely rolling back NEPA--a critical environmental and civil rights law that protects communities from dangerous, rushed or poorly planned projects and gives the public an opportunity to comment on major federal projects like roads, bridges, and pipelines.
*** We will be rallying rain-or-shine, and serving light food and beverages.***
What:
- Rally with stakeholders and community leaders from across the country and advocates opposing the Trump administration’s proposed NEPA rollbacks
When: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 starting at 12PM EST
Where: Rawlins Park
1900 E St NW
Washington, DC 20415
Event Speakers:
- Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Chair, House Natural Resources Committee
- Collin O’Mara, President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation
- Monique Harden, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
- Maria Starr Van Core, LCLAA
- Emma Haydocy, Florida Bay Forever
- Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO, Defenders of Wildlife
- Dr. Mildred McClain, Harambee House/Citizens For Environmental Justice
- Stephanie Klein, MCAF DC Organizer and former career EPA employee
- Erich Pica, President and CEO, Friends of the Earth
- Omar Muhammad, Low Country Alliance for Model Communities
- Manuel Ayala, Student Body Vice President for the College of Southern Nevada
- Taylor Thomas, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
- Andrea Vidaurre, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice
- Yvette Arellano, TEJAS
- Melissa Miles, Ironbound Community Corp
- Rachel Jefferson, Historic Northeast-Midtown Association
More information at protectyourvoicenow.org.
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Background Information
The White House Council Environmental Quality (CEQ) on Thursday, January 9th released a draft rule rolling back the implementing procedures for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The Trump administration's efforts to undermine NEPA are a thinly veiled attempt to make it easier to rubber stamp projects for corporate polluters, entrench the administration’s denial of climate science and severely restrict public input in federal decision-making.
NEPA requires federal agencies to engage in a review process to identify any significant environmental, economic, social, or health impacts a project may have before decisions are made and construction begins. NEPA’s mandatory public comment periods also provide a powerful tool for local communities to speak up in favor or opposition of major federal actions that affect their health, well-being, and environment. Thanks to NEPA, millions of people have been given a voice in federal government decisions impacting their daily lives.
CEQ is only offering an extremely short comment period of 60-days and 2 public hearings located in Washington, DC and Denver, CO, despite the fact that NEPA is one of the most broadly applicable laws in the entire federal government and applies to every “major federal action” the government takes.
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.