Dear friends,
We made it to Friday without a nuclear catastrophe, so that’s a relief. This gives us a moment to think long-term.
The promise Democrats made to Joe Manchin to pass ‘permit reform’ is now in the spotlight. The reforms that Manchin is hoping for would shorten the timeline for obtaining infrastructure permits by
target[ing] the two ways local communities most often voice opposition – through filing lawsuits challenging projects, or through registering objections during the public-comment process that is a traditional part of NEPA's approval process.
The National Environmental Policy Act includes provisions for public comment so that decisions cannot be made without public input.
Environmental justice groups like WE ACT and No NBK are raising loud objections to so-called reforms that would prevent us from using the tools that have enabled us to fight harmful projects that will threaten frontline communities.
Organizing stopped the Williams pipeline in 2020 in the face of lobbying efforts by National Grid, but if the backroom deal is written into law, the bill could fast-track a network of interstate pipelines that are connected to us here in Brooklyn.
This is a national issue, too, of course.
[I]ncluded in the reform proposals is a promise to fast-track the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which runs through Manchin's state and had been nearly halted due to protests and legal challenges.
Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, the mayor of Nuiqsut City, on Alaska's North Slope, said the roughly 500 Iñupiat residents she represents need to be consulted as the government weighs a new oil project nearby that she said could affect the community's hunting grounds as well as their air and water quality.
Contact Senator Schumer and let him know that the permitting process should not be changed to push through more gas pipelines. This 30-second action has been updated.
The abortion bans continue to yield horrific results. In addition to a child rape victim who had to leave Ohio in order to obtain an abortion, there are other grievous stories from South Carolina and Louisiana.
In South Carolina, where an abortion ban also recently took effect, a 19-year old’s water broke at 15 weeks of pregnancy, but she was unable to terminate the pregnancy for two weeks because the fetus still had a heartbeat. She was at risk of sepsis and of losing her uterus. Fortunately, she survived the ordeal, but no one should have to endure trauma and mortal danger manufactured by bad legislation.
One of the legislators who passed the South Carolina ban implored his colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to change the bill, but got nowhere.
Democratic State Senator Katrina Jackson, who wrote the ban, acknowledged that the condition should be on the list of exceptions.
“This woman is seeking a medical procedure for a pregnancy that is not viable outside of the womb,” Ms. Jackson said. She added that the case likely qualified for the broader exemption outlined by the state’s Department of Health. “Where legislation is needed to clear it up, then it will happen.”
What Ms. Jackson fails to understand is that legislation should never come between a person and the health care they require.
Contact Senator Jackson (and as many Louisiana state legislators as you like!) to tell them that their abortion ban is no good. This is ready-made!
I’ll post some good news on Monday and then take the rest of the week off for a visit to my favorite Vermont farmer.
with love,
L