Ginny Roscamp, Senior Press Secretary, Federal Communications, Sierra Club, ginny.roscamp@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC — As the Trump Administration’s negotiations on a revised United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ramp up, the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and League of Conservation Voters (LCV) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer outlining the climate advocacy groups’ demands for a new trade agreement that supports jobs and protects the environment.
“As global demand grows for goods made more sustainably and with lower-embodied emissions and more resilient supply chains, we must recognize that American competitiveness hinges on modernizing our manufacturing sector through cleaner technologies and practices. Adding provisions to the USMCA that enhance the U.S.’ industrial and technological advantages—a goal of President Trump’s America First Trade Policy—by investing in clean manufacturing within cornerstone industries like steel, aluminum, and cement will have multiple benefits,” the letter reads.
The USMCA is a revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) from President Trump’s first term in office. At the time, Trump called the USMCA “the greatest trade deal ever,” but the U.S. trade deficit has increased under the USMCA, relative to NAFTA.
The USMCA contains provisions requiring the three governments to review the pact every six years, when countries can suggest amendments to the agreement. Chapter-specific reviews of the labor and environment chapter are taking place right now.
“The USMCA made some meaningful improvements from the original North American Free Trade Agreement. … Despite these improvements, the USMCA has continued to advantage producers that abide by low labor and environmental standards, rather than those that innovate and create good quality jobs. USMCA renegotiation offers a critical opportunity to change course,” the letter reads.
The letter calls on Greer to prioritize the following revisions to the environmental chapter of the USMCA:
- Strengthen language throughout the chapter to be “binding”.
- Establish an enforcement mechanism for point-source violations at facilities.
- Create an oversight group to address unintended consequences of USMCA on the climate and environment.
- Expand the list of multilateral environmental agreements to include existing and future agreements in which at least two partners are, or become, involved.
- Require countries to comply with their obligations under current, or future, multilateral environmental agreements, even if it is in conflict with the USMCA.
- Establish a working group between the countries that harmonizes air pollution monitoring and reporting for large facilities like manufacturers of steel, cement, and aluminum.
- Allow all countries to escalate enforcement claims, and require responding countries to remedy violations within 180 days. If they are unable, the requesting country can implement tariffs or restrict market access until the violation is remedied.
- Create a new article on modernizing manufacturing, where countries would commit to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector, harmonize the tracking and sharing of emissions data, not challenge each other’s green jobs and industrial policies, establish an initiative on circularity and materials, and consider establishing a partnership on steel and aluminum.
Outside of the environment chapter, the letter also recommends several other revisions to the USMCA to support innovative U.S. industry, healthy workers, and prosperous manufacturing communities.
QUOTES FROM ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
“Trade deals need to create good family-sustaining jobs and protect people and the planet. To fix gaps in the existing USMCA, the U.S. must push for changes to raise environmental standards, support clean manufacturing, and hold polluters accountable. This isn’t just good climate policy — it’s smart economic policy that puts American workers and communities first,” said Iliana Paul, Deputy Director of the Industrial Transformation campaign at the Sierra Club.
“Trade policies must prioritize environmental and community protections that are essential to lasting economic stability, for all of North America. The first USMCA didn't quite get there. That’s why this upcoming revision of the agreement must commit to strengthening existing language and addressing current challenges like industrial decarbonization and supply chain transparency across the continent. A clean, green economy is a strong and stable economy,” said Amanda Maxwell, Managing Director at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).
“Our global trade policy is a critical part of tackling the climate crisis, lowering costs, and protecting clean energy jobs while ensuring the U.S. does not fall behind as demand for energy independence and clean technologies grows. Any trade deals, including a renegotiated USMCA, must ensure Big Polluters and corporate industries are held accountable while securing clean energy supply chains, growing good family-sustaining jobs, advancing equity, and supporting our climate goals,” said Sara Fontes, Senior Government Affairs Advocate at the League of Conservation Voters.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of 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.