Happy Earth Day, folks!
We know there’s a lot of your mind these days, but we wanted to make sure this piece of news didn’t fly under the radar – especially today.
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they would not be actively enforcing environmental protections for the duration of the coronavirus crisis.
Environmental standards and safeguards that protect our air, water, wildlife, and environment will now go without enforcement for the indefinite future.
But this decision couldn't come at a worse time for our country: Air pollution is especially dangerous to people with respiratory conditions, which is particularly concerning when we have a respiratory pandemic gripping the country.
Will you add your name to our petition and tell the EPA that they can’t use COVID-19 to suspend enforcement of environmental protections?
Many of us are relishing time spent outdoors these days – a walk around the block or time on the patio has been a bright spot for those staying home to save lives. We're also seen a drop in pollution levels across the globe while countries have been in lockdown – from Beijing to San Francisco, a notable decrease in the levels of air pollutants can be attributed to fewer cars on the road and planes in the sky.
We can’t let the Trump administration take advantage of this crisis to open up our environment to polluters. The climate crisis remains a challenge we have to face as we battle COVID-19, and both require a commitment to protecting science and listening to scientists about what’s best for our communities.
Will you add your name to tell Donald Trump’s EPA that you oppose suspending environmental safeguards until further notice?
Thanks for taking action. We hope you get to spend a little time outdoors (while social distancing, of course!) celebrating our beautiful planet today.
-- Team Cicilline
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