Tell Betsy DeVos: Don't sell student loans to Wall Street

Petition to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos: "Stop exploring options for selling off federal student loans to exploitative private investors and instead immediately start discharging the debt of defrauded students." Add your name:

Leave it to Betsy DeVos to dream up more and more horrible ideas. The Department of Education under DeVos is an absolute trainwreck that rewards predatory debt collection companies and makes students suffer. Now, DeVos hired corporate consultants to help her make plans to sell student loans to exploitative Wall Street investors.1 Fraudulent universities and the defunding of higher education left millions of students and families suffering with mountains of debt, and giving banks more control would make it worse. If these plans meet with immediate resistance, it will get the attention of reporters and allies in Congress and may force the Department of Education to back down. Tell Betsy DeVos: Don't sell student loans to Wall Street. Click here to sign the petition. Betsy DeVos is a nightmare for the 45 million Americans stuck with $1.56 trillion in student loan debt. Her proposed Department of Education budget would further defund public education and drive students into the hands of for-profit institutions. The department lets the companies that collect federal student loan payments cheat and lie to students, according to a scathing inspector general report. She has issued rules to help debt collectors skirt aggressive state laws and has personal financial ties to shady debt collection firms. She is even taking the side of for-profit colleges and refusing to forgive the loans of the countless students these predatory institutions defrauded.2,3,4 Now, DeVos has hired Wall Street consultants to review the federal student loan portfolio and consider options for selling loans to private investors. One of the consultants, McKinsey & Company, even has ties to some of the world's most oppressive regimes. The federal government owns more than $1 trillion of the overall student loan debt in America and makes a profit from interest on the loans. DeVos is exploring options for selling that debt into the hands of private investors – who could abuse and harass people with loans, with far fewer legal constraints, until they pay every last cent.5 At best, DeVos is handing a fat contract to corporate consultants to duplicate the analysis of the student loan portfolio that government agencies already completed. At worst, she would hand over federal student loans to some of the shadiest hedge funds and banks on Wall Street. We need to raise the heat on DeVos to stop stalling on providing debt forgiveness to defrauded students while making plans to hand student debt to private bankers. Tell Betsy DeVos: Don't sell student loans to Wall Street. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/Devos-sell-student-loans?t=9&akid=33039%2E3130208%2E-cIIp9 - Heidi Hess, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Michael Stratford, "DeVos hires consultants to examine student loan portfolio," POLITICO, May 2, 2019. Andy Kroll, "The Government’s Trillion-Dollar Student Loan Office Is a Train Wreck," Rolling Stone, Feb. 22, 2019. Mary Bottari, "Betsy DeVos Ethics Report Reveals Ties to Student Debt Collection Firm," PR Watch, Jan. 25, 2017. Erica Green, "Education Department Has Stalled on Debt Relief for Defrauded Students," The New York Times, April 5, 2019. Stratford, "DeVos hires consultants to examine student loan portfolio."

Call Sen. Sinema and Sen. McSally about Iran today!

Last week was terrifying.

Donald Trump's reckless behavior got us too close to yet another catastrophic war, but, now, the Senate has the opportunity to do its job and put the Trump administration on notice.

Tomorrow, senators will be voting on an amendment outlining that Congress has the sole authority to declare war, and that Congress has not declared war on Iran. We can't afford to have Trump start an illegal and immoral war.

Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally have to hear from you about this. Can you give them a quick call right now? It shouldn't take more than five minutes.

☎️ Here's where to call: (877) 745-4591

🗣️ Speaking from the heart will be most effective, but if you need inspiration, you can say:

 "I am Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally's constituent and I would like them to know that they must put Trump on notice on his reckless behavior toward Iran. Every senator should vote in favor of the amendment that says Congress has not authorized war with Iran and also get their colleagues to do the same. We can't afford another catastrophic war––and definitely not one being manufactured by the Trump administration."

– Move On

More information:

War with Iran will cost more than the Iraq and Afghanistan wars - Boston Globe, June 26, 2019

Tell Congress: Pass the Student Debt Cancellation Act of 2019

Petition to Congress: "Cancel all outstanding federal and private student debts. Pass the Student Debt Cancellation Act of 2019." Add your name:

With student loan debts exceeding $1.5 trillion and nearly 40% of people expected to default on their loans, this is a crisis that demands bold solutions.1 And while corporate Democrats hedge and Betsy DeVos does her best to boost for-profit colleges at the expense of students, progressives are proposing real solutions.Student debt is an anvil around the necks of an entire generation. It's long past time to stop the half-measures and cancel all student debts outright. As a student loan holder herself, progressive champion Rep. Ilhan Omar knows the costs of outrageous education debt firsthand. She, along with Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Sen. Bernie Sanders, is leading the way with the most aggressive student debt cancellation plan yet ‒ and now they need our help to build a tidal wave of momentum. Tell Congress to cancel all student loan debts. Click here to sign the petition: DeVos' proposed Department of Education budget would further defund public education and drive students into the hands of for-profit institutions. Her department lets the companies that collect federal student loan payments cheat and lie to students. She issued rules to help debt collectors skirt aggressive state laws and has personal financial ties to shady debt collection firms. She is even refusing to forgive the loans of the countless students defrauded by predatory for-profit colleges.2,3,4 Meanwhile, the progressive base of the Democratic Party is showing what it means to put students first. Rep. Omar's and Sen. Sanders' plan would entirely eliminate loans held or guaranteed by the federal government and take aggressive steps to forgive pernicious and often-predatory private student loans. Today's student debt crisis emerges from a decades-long attempt to shift the costs of education from the ultra-wealthy onto less well-off Americans and communities of color. Now, education debt is holding back our economy and destroying lives. It prevents young people from buying homes or starting new businesses and even keeps seniors from retiring. Unlike other forms of debt, it cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Cancelling all student loan debt would provide a massive economic stimulus, liberate an entire generation and strike a blow against Wall Street. We need to speak out now. Tell Congress to cancel all student loan debts. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/omar-student-debt?t=9&akid=32973%2E3130208%2EhR0_eg - Heidi Hess, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Zack Friedman, "Elizabeth Warren: Here's My Plan To Cancel Student Loan Debt," Forbes, June 17, 2019. Andy Kroll, "The Government’s Trillion-Dollar Student Loan Office Is a Train Wreck," Rolling Stone, Feb. 22, 2019. Mary Bottari, "Betsy DeVos Ethics Report Reveals Ties to Student Debt Collection Firm," PR Watch, Jan. 25, 2017. Erica Green, "Education Department Has Stalled on Debt Relief for Defrauded Students," The New York Times, April 5, 2019.

Sign the Petition: Save overtime pay for workers

Petition to Congress: "Expand overtime pay and restore overtime protections to the millions of workers hurt by the Trump administration and conservative business lawsuits. Support the Restoring Overtime Pay Act." Add your name:

An Obama-era rule would have expanded overtime pay to 4 million workers. But the Trump administration helped business interests sabotage the new rule in courts. Now, Trump's Department of Labor has put forward a drastically watered-down proposal that would cost at least 8.2 million people their hard-earned wages.2   This proposal gives corporate executives and Wall Street tycoons a $1.5 trillion tax handout that pads their pockets without creating jobs - and robbing overtime pay from millions of working Americans.1 Democrats in Congress just reintroduced legislation that would save overtime pay for millions of workers.3  Please, show support of this bill. Tell Congress: Restore Overtime Pay Act. Click here to sign the petition. For 41 years, the threshold for receiving overtime pay has been stuck at $23,660 ‒ below the poverty level for a family of four. Even as rent and other costs increased and the dollar lost value, if you made a cent over that limit, you were not eligible for overtime pay, no matter how long you worked. Between 1975 and today, the number of salaried employees who received overtime pay for working 40+ hours a week dropped from 65 percent to 11 percent.4 But Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta said paying people for their labor would “create a stress on the system.”5 On top of it all, businesses routinely use loopholes to deny employees pay by calling workers 'managers' to exempt them from overtime even if they spend 95% of their time at the cash register. One of the Obama administration's hard-won victories was a new rule setting the threshold at $47,000, rising with inflation. If the original threshold had taken cost of living into account, it would be around $58,000 today. A threshold that again covered 65% of the workforce would be $69,000.6 In contrast, the Trump administration's proposed threshold is $35,000. The Restoring Overtime Pay Act would take the carefully constructed Obama overtime rule and make it law – closing loopholes and setting an overtime threshold of more than $51,000.7 Opposing it openly exposes Trump and Republicans as the party of greedy executives, so we need to rally behind it in a big way. Tell Congress: Protect overtime pay for American workers. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/restoring-overtime-pay-2019?t=9&akid=32966%2E3130208%2EdcPLl0 - Heidi Hess, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Sen. Sherrod Brown, "Brown, Murray, Scott, Takano Reintroduce Bill to Expand Overtime Pay for Millions of Workers," June 11, 2019. Ibid. Ibid. Rep. Mark Takano, “Rep. Mark Takano and 31 House Democrats Call for Expanded Overtime Pay,” Jan. 19, 2015. Amy Held, “Labor Department Rethinking Obama-Era Overtime Pay Rule,” NPR, June 27, 2017. Dave Jamieson, “Obama Is Bringing Overtime Pay To Millions Of Workers,” HuffPost, May 17, 2016. Ibid.

Tell the EPA: Ban cancer-causing glyphosate

The petition to the EPA reads: "Protect the health of children and ecosystems, not Monsanto profits. Ban glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup." Add your name:

Pressure on the EPA is growing as local governments and other countries are starting to ban glyphosate. We have an opportunity to increase that pressure now as the EPA is taking public comments on its outrageous decision that glyphosate is safe. Glyphosate is linked to devastating incidences of cancer, plummeting monarch butterfly populations and catastrophic bee colony collapse. But despite all the evidence, the EPA is still refusing to ban glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto's toxic Roundup weed killer. Public comments are due on July 5. If you sign the petition, we will count your signature in our comment to the EPA. Tell the EPA: Ban glyphosate. Click here to sign the petition. In May, the agribusiness giant Monsanto was ordered to pay $2 billion to a couple who both have cancer linked to glyphosate.1 That was the third time in the past year that courts ordered Monsanto to pay cancer survivors in connection to the toxic chemical.2 Lawsuits from more than 13,000 others are pending.3 But individual lawsuits are not the solution to the harm that glyphosate causes – the EPA should ban glyphosate now. After the International Agency for Research on Cancer found glyphosate is likely to cause cancer, several cities and counties banned the toxic chemical, including the city of Miami and Los Angeles County.4 But the EPA, the agency responsible for protecting us from environmental harm, is still ignoring the evidence. Humans are not the only ones threatened by glyphosate. The chemical is largely responsible for the decline of monarch butterflies and other important pollinators. Since glyphosate entered the market, monarch butterflies have declined by more than 90%.5 Glyphosate destroys milkweed, which is the only plant migrating monarchs can use to lay their eggs. Bees are at risk, too. Recent studies have shown that glyphosate damages their gut bacteria, which weakens their immune system and makes them more susceptible to other problems.6 No company's profits are more important than our children's health and the health of our fragile ecosystems. Tell the EPA to uphold its mission and ban glyphosate. Tell the EPA: Ban glyphosate. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/ban-glyphosate?t=9&akid=32922%2E3130208%2EEfaIJF - Brandy Doyle, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Paul Elias, "Jury: Monsanto to pay $2 billion in weed killer cancer case," AP News, May 13, 2019. Ibid. Ibid. Baum, Hedlund, Aristei and Goldman, Where is Glyphosate Banned?" updated June 2019. Douglas Main, "Monarch Butterflies Have Declined 90%; Conservationists Seek Extra Protection," Newsweek, Aug. 27, 2014. Science News, "Common weed killer linked to bee deaths," ScienceDaily, Sept. 24, 2018.

Urge Senators to support International Climate Accountability Act

Since last Friday, 45 senators and counting have cosponsored the International Climate Accountability Act
(S. 1743), a critical bill that would force President Trump to meet the U.S.'s Paris climate agreement commitments. This bill would block federal spending on Trump's plan to withdraw from the Paris agreement, and legally require him to make a plan to cut emissions and meet our nation's Paris agreement commitments.

Last month the House of Representatives passed H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, thanks to grassroots pressure. Now, the fight moves to the Senate — last week, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen introduced the International Climate Accountability Act ... but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already vowed to kill it. With the Senate majority still controlled by allies of Trump and the fossil fuel industry, getting this and other crucial climate legislation passed will be an uphill battle.

Our best chance to force real climate action is to make every single senator realize that if they won't step up to fight climate change, we'll vote them out of office.The single best thing you can do right now to help win climate action is to make your voice heard at your senators' offices right away.

Even if your senators already support this landmark legislation, they must hear from constituents like you so they know that urgent climate action is a vitally important issue for voters in Arizona.

Tell your senators to take real steps to fight the climate crisis and support the International Climate Accountability Act!

- Aliya Haq, Climate and Clean Energy, NRDC Action Fund

Tell DNC members: Stand up for a climate debate

The petition to DNC members reads: "Join the DNC member resolution calling for a climate debate." Add your name:

Yesterday, CREDO and our partners delivered over 200,000 petition signatures directly to the Democratic National Committee calling for a presidential primary debate on climate change. Momentum for a climate debate is growing fast. Fifteen Democratic presidential candidates have joined our call, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.1 So have the USA Today Editorial Board2 and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party.3 DNC Chairman Tom Perez made a terrible decision last week to reject our demands and is now feeling the pressure – including backlash from within his own party. More than 50 members of the DNC – over 10% of the total voting membership – signed a resolution last week calling on Perez to reverse his decision and allow a climate debate.4 If we can amplify their voices, we can push Perez to give candidates a real forum to talk about solutions. Tell DNC members: Join the resolution for a climate debate. Click here to sign the petition. The next president of the United States must be prepared to take bolder, faster climate action than any leader before. After four years of Trump, we have no more time to waste. But the media is still ignoring the issue, giving cover to politicians – who refuse to take action. In 2018, climate coverage on broadcast networks plunged 45% from 2017, despite a year of extreme weather and record climate disasters around the world.5 We need Democrats to step up and put climate change on the national political stage. Without a substantive debate, we can't ensure that Democrats will nominate someone who is ready to lead. The climate crisis is complex, and we need bold solutions – not 30-second soundbites. The backlash against Perez' refusal to allow a climate debate has been rapid and fierce. He even felt compelled to write a blog post justifying his decision on the eve of our DNC rally.6 Perez seems desperate to relieve the pressure. We need to increase it and force Perez to start taking the climate crisis seriously. Tell DNC members: Join the resolution for a climate debate. Click the link below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/DNC-climate-debate?t=9&akid=32875%2E3130208%2E2sVVkY - Brandy Doyle, CREDO Action Add your name: References: Ryan Schleeter, "Activists Double Down, Bring Call for a Climate Debate to DNC Headquarters," Greenpeace USA, June 12, 2019. Editorial Board, "Joe Biden and other 2020 Democrats give climate change the attention it deserves," USA Today, June 10, 2019. Ryan Nicol, "Miami-Dade Democrats call for presidential candidates to debate climate change," Florida Politics, June 12, 2019. Daniel Marans, "DNC Members Push For Climate Change-Centered Presidential Debate," HuffPost, June 7, 2019. Lisa Hymas, "The Green New Deal is pushing climate change into the mainstream media," Grist, April 3, 2019. Schleeter, "Activists Double Down, Bring Call for a Climate Debate to DNC Headquarters."

Ask ACC to increase the current renewable energy standard and energy efficiency standard

Right now, there is a proposal on the table to increase Arizona's renewable energy standard to 50% by 2028. Unfortunately, some Arizona officials are pushing for a goal, rather than a strong standard, which would mean less accountability for polluting utilities like APS and TEP!

We need the Arizona Corporate Commission (ACC) to hold the utilities accountable and to look out for the interests of Arizona ratepayers by requiring an increase in both renewable energy and energy efficiency. These increases are more than achievable in one of America's sunniest states with record low solar prices and with energy efficiency being the cheapest, cleanest energy resource.

Take action by sending a comment to the ACC and call them out on social media!

We need your help in asking the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to increase the current renewable energy standard and energy efficiency standard and to actually require that utilities meet them. While the ACC discussed this, it has not yet sent a clear message on what direction it will take.

If you haven't already, please take a moment to send a message to the ACC in support of requiring 50% clean renewable energy in Arizona by 2028! The current standard of 15% electricity from renewable sources by 2025 is far too low and well below our neighboring states. We also are supporting an increase of the energy efficiency standard to 35% by 2030, an increase of 15% above the current 20% by 2020 standard.

Arizona officials could bring more clean energy to our state, but only if we're louder than polluters! Watch the video to see why clean energy is important for Arizona and then take action!

WHY THIS MATTERS

South Tucson disproportionately suffers the consequences of fossil fuel pollution as it is home to all of the dirty industries in that city, including the refurbished gas-fired H. Wilson Sundt Generating Station, which used to burn coal, plus a Superfund site. As a consequence, its Latino community, especially the young, is plagued by pollution-related illnesses, such as asthma and other respiratory issues. Transitioning to clean energy is vital for this area.

Clean Energy Changemakers: Tucson video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfPfa6TsoYE

Video en español --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BueJxqItmls

Learn more at http://www.beyondcoal.org

Urge Senators: Sponsor Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act

The Colorado River - not just for rafting

The Colorado River. the primary river of the Southwest, flows through the Grand Canyon.  The Colorado River provides water to over 30 million people and to nearly two million acres of farmland in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming, collectively known as the seven Colorado River "Basin States." We must safeguard the Grand Canyon and this vital waterways permanently. 

On Tuesday, June 4th, Sierra Club joined U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee; leaders from Indigenous nations; local elected officials; veterans; and conservation groups in supporting H.R.1373 - Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act.

The bill is sponsored by Congressman Grijalva and now co-sponsored by more than 100 other members of Congress, including Representatives O’Halleran, Gallego, Kirkpatrick, and Stanton from Arizona. The Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act, will make the 20-year mining moratorium established in 2012 permanent. All told, the legislation would protect approximately one million acres of public lands north and south of the Grand Canyon from toxic mining.

See more in this short video. If you haven't already, please use the button below to send a message to Arizona Senators asking for their sponsorship of this bill.

Ask Your Senators to Protect Grand Canyon

The news conference in Washington, DC was followed by a hearing on June 5th where Carletta Tilousi, Councilwoman with the Havasupai Tribe; Coral Evans, Mayor of Flagstaff; and Amber Reimondo with Grand Canyon Trust, testified in support of the bill. Representatives Grijalva, O’Halleran, and Gallego from Arizona were also there to speak in support of the bill.

Let's put an end to uranium mining near the Grand Canyon once and for all. Please spread the word and ask our senators to sponsor the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act!

- Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter

Tell Congress: Reject provisions in SECURE Act that allow annuities providers to scam retirees, and expand Social Security

The average Social Security payment of $14,760 isn't enough to make ends meet.

The average Social Security payment of $14,760 isn't enough to make ends meet.

Petition to the Senate: "Reject the provisions in the SECURE Act that would allow annuities providers to scam retirees out of their hard-earned savings, and instead focus on expanding Social Security by passing the Social Security 2100 Act." Add your name:

But instead of fighting to expand Social Security, some Democrats in Congress are pushing a bipartisan retirement package that contains a massive giveaway to Wall Street that would allow companies to defraud retirees.1 Social Security is one of the most successful government programs in our history, helping to keep tens of millions of Americans out of poverty over the past 80 years. This legislation just passed the House of Representatives. We need to ramp up pressure on the Senate to stand up to rich Wall Street donors and get their priorities straight. The security of hard-earned retirement savings should come first. Tell Congress: Reject retirement scams and expand Social Security. Click here to sign the petition. Wall Street‒backed insurance companies have been fighting for this giveaway for years. The legislation, called the SECURE Act in the House of Representatives, would give employers immunity if their workers are scammed out of retirement savings that are invested in annuities. The immunity – called safe harbor – would allow employers to pick annuities based on kickbacks or how little they cost upfront. The annuity company could later declare bankruptcy and workers would have no ability to sue their employer to recover their savings.2 That's exactly what happens right now to many public employees with 403(b) plans. The new legislation would expand these scams to 401(k) plans, with too few safeguards and no rules insisting companies sell only fixed-payment plans instead of predatory variable annuities.3 Why would Democrats fight for this legislation instead of expanding Social Security? Look no further than Democratic Rep. Richard Neal, who crafted the legislation with Republicans on his committee. The companies that would benefit include:4 ...some of Neal’s biggest donors, including Prudential, whose political action committee delivered $5,000 to Neal last quarter. Or the American Council of Life Insurers PAC, another $5,000 donor, whose members also sell annuities. Or Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company. Or New York Life. Or Liberty Mutual. Or TIAA. Or the Insured Retirement Institute, an industry PAC. Or the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting PAC, another trade group that immediately praised the SECURE Act’s committee passage. The Investment Company Institute, a trade group for mutual funds (that also benefit from the SECURE Act), is another Neal donor. It's not too late to get the Senate to reject this awful retirement scam loophole – if we speak out now. Tell Congress: Reject retirement scams and expand Social Security. Click here to sign the petition. If Congress really wants to protect Americans' retirement, there is a simple answer: Expand Social Security. Social Security is a time-tested program that can pay all the benefits we earned through 2034 and nearly 80% after without any changes. Forcing the wealthy to pay their fair share will secure the program for all of us into the next century. The Social Security 2100 Act would increase Social Security benefits for all of us, force millionaires and billionaires to pay the same rate as everyone else, protect low income workers by increasing the minimum monthly benefit, and guard against inflation by indexing benefits to what the elderly really must spend money on.5 Instead of throwing retirees to the wolves in order to win support from major Wall Street donors, our elected representatives should be fighting to expand Social Security. Tell Congress: Reject retirement scams and expand Social Security. Click below to sign the petition: https://act.credoaction.com/sign/secure-act?t=10&akid=32819%2E3130208%2EVC8jaj - Josh Nelson, CREDO Action from Working Assets Add your name: References: David Dayen, "The House has found bipartisan agreement on reform to retirement accounts. Be afraid." The Intercept, May 22, 2019. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Rep. John Larson, "The Social Security 2100 Act," accessed June 6, 2019.

Public Comments: Tell CBP NO Border Wall on San Pedro River

Center for Biological Diversity's Laiken Jordahl, went to the San Pedro River, which is the last undammed, free-flowing river in the Southwest. The Border Patrol has announced plans to build across this pristine river, choking off vital waterways and access to habitat for wildlife. The Trump administration has dismantled 41 environmental and health laws to push this through - including the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. This would be a disaster for Arizona!  Ecotourism is a big part of our $22 billion dollar tourist industry!

https://www.facebook.com/CenterforBioDiv/videos/2422951604602736/

Comments and information will be accepted until Friday, July 5, 2019

Please, write a letter expressing your opposition to wall being built with your tax dollars on the San Pedro River. The river, the beauty and solace, and the habituate it provides must not be destroyed. Speak from your heart and head. And share this message with your friends.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP, is seeking public input concerning a proposed border barrier project to construct new bollard wall in place of dilapidated and outdated designs in Pima and Cochise Counties.

CBP proposes to replace up to approximately 63 miles of pedestrian fencing and vehicle barrier with new bollard wall. The project also includes road construction and improvement and lighting installation. The proposed design of the new bollard wall includes 18-to-30 foot, concrete-filled steel bollards that are approximately 6” x 6” in diameter.

CBP is seeking input regarding the proposed project’s potential impacts to the environment, culture, and commerce, including potential socioeconomic impacts, and quality of life. Comments on the project will be considered as a part of CBP’s project planning process.

Comments and information will be accepted by email at:

commentsenv@cbp.dhs.gov

or mailed to:

U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. 6.5E Mail Stop 1039
Washington, DC 20229-1100

Comments should reference “Pima and Cochise Counties Border Infrastructure Projects” in the subject of the email.

If you would prefer, you can also sign a petition from Defend Wildlife.

(Consider personalizing it for more impact.) 

Tell BLM: Protect public lands by stopping to its coal mining plans

END COAL’S TOLL ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS

In April, the Trump administration’s decision to reopen our public lands for coal mining leases was ruled illegal in federal court because it did not consider any science or public input. Now the administration is once more trying to hawk our public lands, but is again ignoring the science and attempting to shut out public input.

The science is clear on the devastating impact that coal mining has on our air, our water, and our climate, and an overwhelming majority of Americans oppose destroying our priceless public lands for the dirtiest form of energy. We need you to speak up now: We only have until June 6 to tell the Bureau of Land Management that our public lands aren’t for sale to coal mining companies.

The Obama administration froze coal leasing on public lands in 2016. When President Trump reversed the moratorium shortly after taking power, Earthjustice took his administration to court and won.

But the administration did not respond to the court’s ruling with a sincere analysis of the harmful impacts of federal coal leasing and of the clean and safe alternatives for meeting our energy needs. Instead, BLM launched a rushed and superficial process which concluded that reopening our public lands to coal mining has “no significant impact.”

The administration’s conclusion is not only willfully wrong — it’s dangerous: 11% of all U.S. climate pollution comes from federal coal production, and burning coal continues to harm our air, our water, our families, and our wildlife — all while cheaper, renewable energy options abound.

Tell BLM to protect people, public lands, and our future by putting a stop to its latest coal mining plans.

- Earth Justice

MORE INFORMATION:

Judge Rebukes Trump's Attack on Public Lands, Rules Coal Mining Push Illegal - Eco Watch, April 22, 2019

Under Trump, Coal Mining Gets New Life on U.S. Lands - New York Times, August 6, 2017