Hours before an expected U.S. Senate vote on must-pass federal budget legislation, 27 New York elected officials sent a letter urging Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to stop Senator Manchin’s oil and gas permitting deal. The deal would severely weaken environmental laws by requiring the fast tracked permitting of fossil fuel projects like oil and gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations, drilling and fracking. Local elected officials urged Senator Schumer to shelve Senator Manchin’s bill, which is reportedly headed for a U.S. Senate vote this evening.

Senator Schumer’s decision to attach the dirty deal to must-pass government funding legislation is driving mounting opposition. More than 70 U.S. Representatives are standing against the bill, including 10 New York Representatives, and at least five Senators have voiced opposition.

“This noxious legislation would weaken bedrock environmental law, reducing public participation and environmental justice review of large, new fossil fuel projects nationwide, including in New York,” the letter said.

The letter’s signatories were gathered over just 24 hours by climate action groups during the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Food & Water Watch Senior New York Organizer Santosh Nandabalan said:

“Read the room, Schumer. It’s no surprise that his constituents and colleagues alike are deeply opposed to his dirty deal with coal baron Senator Manchin. New York is making real strides off fossil fuels — Senator Schumer’s deal will take us backwards. Schumer has the power and indeed imperative to drop this deal now and keep the fossil fuel payday out of our government budget.”

“As the International Energy Agency has stated, no new fossil fuel infrastructure is compatible with avoiding global catastrophe. Now is not the time to trample over environmental justice concerns and lock in decades of future emissions through new fossil fuel infrastructure. We urge [Senators Schumer, Gillibrand and Members of New York’s Congressional Delegation] to stop this deal to force through more fossil fuel infrastructure and drilling, weaken New York’s ability to protect our constituents, and outright approve the Mountain Valley Pipeline,” concluded the New York elected officials.

Contact: Phoebe Galt, [email protected]