In response to the bipartisan deal on infrastructure, Janet Redman, Greenpeace USA Climate Campaign Director said:
“Based on the statements from the Channel 4 investigation, this looks like the Exxon Infrastructure Bill corporate lobbyists were persuading their contacts in Congress to pass: ‘stick to highways and bridges then a lot of the negative stuff starts to come out.’ For Big Oil the ‘negative stuff’ is the investment in climate solutions, renewable energy, and environmental justice our planet and communities need. Oil companies seem to have succeeded in undermining any meaningful climate action in this bill in order to protect their profits at the cost of our health and safety. Congress, and especially the Exxon 11–Senator Capito, Senator Manchin, Senator Sinema, Senator Tester, Senator Hassan, Senator Barrasso, Senator Cornyn, Senator Daines, Senator Coons, Senator Kelly and Senator Rubio–needs to reject the fake solutions that fossil fuel lobbyists are peddling.
“We are in a climate emergency. Americans are dying from more wildfires, record breaking heat waves, and stronger storms than ever before. The biggest threat to our communities and infrastructure is the climate crisis. An infrastructure bill that doesn’t prevent a full blown climate catastrophe by funding a swift transition to renewable energy would kill millions of Americans. The bill does offer glimmers of hope such as the commitment to clean up and remediate oil wells and mines. This investment should create good-paying union jobs and advance environmental justice. Our future relies on Democrats having the courage to be visionary and go bigger in the reconciliation bill.”
