FINAL DEADLINE: 5pm ET on Friday, September 9 

Cosigners: Rep. Grijalva, Rep. Khanna, Rep. Ocasio Cortez, Rep. Schakowsky, Rep. Stansbury, Rep. Huffman, Rep. McEachin, Rep. Takano, Rep. Bowman, Rep. Bush, Rep. Doggett, Rep. Velazquez, Rep. Espaillat, Rep. Norton, Rep. Tlaib, Rep. Scott, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Case, Rep. Raskin, Rep. Andy Levin, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Lowenthal, Rep. Desaulnier, Rep. Bass, Rep. Watson Coleman, Rep. Nadler, Rep. Mcnerney, Rep. Clarke, Rep. S. Brown, Rep. McCollum, Rep. Waters, Rep. H. Johnson, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Neguse, Rep. Carson, Rep. Omar, Rep. Evans, Rep. Meng, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Barragan, Rep. Chuy Garcia, Rep. Jayapal, Rep. Danny K. Davis, Rep. Federica Wilson, Rep. Dean, Rep. Adams, Rep. Porter, Rep. Clarke, Rep. Blumenaur, Rep. Roybal-Allard, Rep. Napolitano
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Rep. Cárdenas, Rep. Crow, Rep. Cohen

Dear Colleague:

Please join me in sending the attached letter to House Leadership opposing any plan to include a so-called “permitting reform package” in must-pass legislation this year.  

According to media reports, Democratic Leaders have agreed to advance a series of anti-environmental and anti-environmental justice provisions, at the behest of the American Petroleum Institute (API). These destructive provisions will significantly and disproportionately impact low-income communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color.

The inclusion of these provisions in a continuing resolution, or any other must-pass legislation, would silence the voices of frontline and environmental justice communities by protecting this API wish-list from scrutiny. These provisions will weaken the National Environmental Policy Act, place public health in even greater jeopardy, and restrict the ability of EJ communities to seek redress and justice through the courts.

Including these harmful provisions in a CR or other must-pass legislation would force Members to choose between sacrificing the wellbeing of already-overburdened environmental justice communities or funding the government.  

Over 650 grassroots organizations and several environmental and climate-focused advocacy groups, including Indigenous Environmental Network, Climate Justice Alliance, Appalachian Voices, WeAct, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, Union of Concerned Scientists, 350.org, Food & Water Watch , Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace and others have spoken out publicly against these provisions.

The deadline to sign onto this letter is COB Friday, September 9. If you would like to sign-on, or have any questions, please contact Chris Espinosa at Chris.Espinosa@mail.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Raúl M. Grijalva
Chair, Natural Resources Committee

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer:

The permitting and public notice and comment provisions mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are among the only tools local communities have to force careful review of federal projects that may have serious, long-term, environmental, and public health consequences in those communities. Congress should continue to provide increased funding to assist federal agencies in completing the NEPA process but attempts to short-circuit or undermine the law in the name of “reform” must be opposed.

According to media reports, there is agreement to advance a series of anti-environmental and anti-environmental justice provisions through the House, at the behest of the American Petroleum Institute (API). These destructive provisions will allow polluting manufacturing and energy development projects to be rushed through before the families who are forced to live near them are even aware of the plans.  

The proposed legislation would restrict public access to the courts to seek remedies against illegal project development; place arbitrary limits on the amount of time the public is given to comment on polluting projects; and curtail public input, environmental review, and government accountability. Additionally, the API plan would require a certain number of harmful fossil fuel projects to be designated as “projects of strategic national importance” to receive priority federal support, assistance, and expedited environmental review. These permitting “reforms” would weaken other important public health protections, including the Clean Water Act and more.

We remain deeply concerned that these serious and detrimental permitting provisions will significantly and disproportionately impact low-income communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color. The inclusion of these provisions in a continuing resolution, or any other must-pass legislation, would silence the voices of frontline and environmental justice communities by insulating them from scrutiny. Such a move would force Members to choose between protecting EJ communities from further pollution or funding the government.

We urge you to ensure that these provisions are kept out of a continuing resolution or any other must-pass legislation this year.