New Orleans, Louisiana — As communities commemorate the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this Saturday, August 29, Hurricane Laura is sweeping through Southwest Louisiana bringing an “unsurvivable” storm surge, 150 mph winds, and climate destruction reminiscent of what the same region experienced 15 years ago.
Alicia Cooke with 350 New Orleans offered the following:
“Laura reminds us of the danger of fossil fuel reliance from two perspectives: not only is she strengthened by climate change, but we also see her path cutting straight through a major petrochemical hub along the Louisiana/Texas border, with potential for great environmental catastrophe. When we rely on a fossil fuel economy, we rely on the integrity of oil and gas infrastructure, which has become increasingly vulnerable as storms continue to strengthen year after year.”
Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America Director at 350.org said,
“Let’s not forget: Hurricane Laura is fossil-fueled. 15 years after Hurricane Katrina, Black communities, the United Houma Nation, Indigenous Peoples, Latinx, immigrants, and people of color across the Gulf South are still recovering and rebuilding. The attacks are relentless as communities repeatedly face systemic racism, fossil fuel destruction, environmental injustice, and climate disasters like Hurricane Laura. We stand with frontline communities throughout the Gulf South as we honor lives and homes lost, hold fossil fuel executives accountable, and build a Just Recovery toward a Green New Deal that prioritizes our health and safety.”
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Contact: Lindsay Meiman, [email protected], (347) 460-9082