FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2015
Contact: Karthik Ganapathy, (347) 881-3784
350 Responds to Secretary Jewell Comments on Fossil Fuel Extraction
WASHINGTON — Just before a diverse coalition rallied outside the White House today urging an end to federal permittance for fossil fuel extraction on public lands, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell issued comments dismissing the idea as an “oversimplification,” arguing “you can’t just cut it off overnight.” In response, 350.org Executive Director May Boeve issued the following statement:
“This is a straw man, and Secretary Jewell knows it. Absolutely no one is suggesting that we can end society’s reliance on fossil fuel use tomorrow, but that’s no excuse for failing to do our part today. If we’re serious about transitioning to an economy powered by 100% renewables, we need to stop digging for more, and green-lighting projects like Keystone XL that prolong our dependence on fossil fuels.
Let’s be clear: fossil fuel companies already hold way more in reserves than our world can safely burn, and more than enough to cover US consumption as we make the transition to a clean economy. That leaves no good reason why our government should continue to let massive corporations mine taxpayer land for even more that science tells us they can’t burn.
Here’s the bottom line: the Obama Administration’s signature achievement on climate change cuts 5 gigatons of pollution by 2030 — while 450 gigatons sit beneath publicly owned water and soil. Banning fossil fuel extraction on public lands won’t solve the problem by itself, but it has to happen if we’re serious about a solution. It’s the perfect opportunity for the Obama administration to take a historic step and align its actions with the rhetoric.”
###