Coalition Opposes Bipartisan Permitting Reform Bill, Citing Harm to Environmental Justice Communities
A broad coalition of national organizations, including the Climate Justice Alliance, GreenLatinos, Indigenous Environmental Network, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Western Environmental Law Center, is opposing a proposed deregulatory permitting reform bill titled the 'Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act.' The coalition argues that this legislation, currently being negotiated in Congress, would enable the unchecked development of dangerous projects, harming health and the environment, increasing energy costs, and violating community rights. They contend that the bill disproportionately impacts communities of color and lower-income neighborhoods, which already bear the brunt of pollution and climate change due to historical redlining practices. The coalition asserts that the bill, despite claims of advancing clean energy, would lock in more fossil fuel projects and continue to designate vulnerable communities as 'sacrifice zones.' They criticize the negotiation process as being conducted 'i...
