As the COVID-19 crisis continues and BIPOC communities continue to be disproportionately exposed to higher levels of pollution from fossil fuels, the fossil fuel industry is attempting to leverage Congress’ emergency relief legislation into cash for CEOs and shareholders. Recovery efforts need to address the inequities this crisis has exacerbated, not reinforce them.
AASHE recently signed a letter to ask future legislation to put people first and not give financial relief to polluters. The letter asks legislators to put healthcare and frontline workers of COVID-19 first in the emergency response, support people over the fossil fuel industry, provide recovery funds for a just transition for fossil fuel workers and communities economically dependent on declining fossil fuel production, and conduct exhaustive oversight of the Trump administration and financial sector.