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Opportunities to Make a Difference

Call your Senator!

We are on the cusp of the first major climate action the U.S. has ever taken.

Fossil fuel companies are working around the clock to undermine the bill.

If there was ever a moment to call your Senator, this is it!

Take 5 minutes during your next coffee break to tell your senator to pass this climate bill.

U.S. Senate: Senators

Show Notes

Climate Emergency Declaration

Nine Democratic senators sent President Biden a letter calling on him to declare climate change an emergency

History of emergency declarations by U.S. presidents

  • Enacted approximately 50 years ago
  • Gives president special emergency powers
  • Every president since the act was passed has declared at least one
  • President Trump declared one in response to immigration situation on Southern Border in order to free up funds for his border wall project

Selection of potential actions Biden could take under emergency declaration

  • Halt new oil and gas drilling on Federal lands - 25% of current U.S. oil / natural gas production comes from Federal lands
  • Halt crude oil exports - Equal to closing up to 42 coal plants (according to study by Greenpeace and Oil Change International)
  • End offshore drilling
  • Obtain access to emergency funds distributed through FEMA for energy efficiency or related projects focused on low-income households

Donations by fossil fuel lobby this election cycle

  • Joe Manchin - largest recipient in the Senate
  • Kyrsten Sinema - 6th largest recipient in the Senate

Sources

Oil and Natural Gas Production on Federal and Non-Federal Lands - IER (instituteforenergyresearch.org)

What Would a Climate Emergency Mean? Here Are 4 Key Points. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

us_export_ban_report-FINAL.pdf (greenpeace.org)

Here's what could happen if Biden declares a climate emergency - The Washington Post

Oil & Gas: Top Recipients | OpenSecrets

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