What would Carmen do when faced with environmental injustice?

Sierra Club Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter: Tribute to Carmen Ramirez

In oil counties like SB and Ventura, where if we win it is with narrow 3-2 Supervisor votes, where oil companies spend $8 million on county initiatives (as they did in June in Ventura) and sue the county (as they are doing in both counties right now), it takes superstars like Carmen to set us on the clean energy path and not double down on increasingly carbon-intensive fossil fuel infrastructure. My hope is that we can step up our state game to lighten the load. Read more from members who have known and loved her on the following blog post here. (Tribute post here)

Katie Davis, Chapter Board Chair

Minimal script for state senators: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Senator [____] to vote “YES” on the following environmental and social justice bills. Do you have a pencil to write down a list? (If you’re calling, just say the numbers…)

• AB 284 Strengthens the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 to include tracking and reduction of emissions 
• AB 558 School meals
• AB 1369 (Bennett) Buy Clean California Act
• AB 1738 Support as amended in appropriations. State building code requirement for EV chargers in parking of multi-family and non-residential construction.
• AB 1857 Incineration Reform
• AB 2061 Transportation Electrification: EV Charging Infrastructure
• AB 2201 (Bennett) Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit
• AB 2204 Labor and Workforce Development Agency: Deputy Secretary for Climate
• AB 2247 PFAS Disclosure
• AB 2550 Requires CARB to improve air quality in the Central Valley

Contacts

• State Senator Monique Limón (SD-19): email, SAC (916) 651-4019, SB (805) 965-0862, OX (805)988-1940 
• State Senator Henry Stern (SD-27): email, SAC (916) 651-2027, Calabasas (818) 876-3352
• Not your people? Which state senator is mine?: findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Minimal script for state assemblymembers : I’m calling from [zip code] and I want Assemblymember [____] to vote “YES” on the following environmental and social justice bills. Do you have a pencil to write down a list? (If you’re calling, just say the numbers…)

• SB 260 (Wiener & Stern) Climate Corporate Accountability Act 
• SB 379  Residential solar energy systems: permitting
• SB 1010 CA state vehicle fleet Zero Emission Vehicles
• SB 1013 Beverage container recycling: reports: electronic submittal
• SB 1020 Clean Energy, Jobs and Affordability Act. 
• SB 1158 Retail electricity & GHGs: Requires CPUC to publish annually on utilities’ achievements with renewable generation & stored energy
• SB 1203  Net-zero emissions of greenhouse gasses: state agency operations
• SB 1230 (Limón) Zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle incentive programs
• SB 1295 (Limon) Remediate hazardous and deserted wells; labor standards
• SB 1314 (Limón) Enhanced Oil Recovery Prohibition
• SB 1391  Cap & Trade Reforms
• SB 1482  EV charging new multi-family housing

Contacts

• State Assemblymember Steve Bennett: (CA-37): email, SAC (916) 319-2037, SB (805) 564-1649, VTA (805) 641-3700
• State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin: (CA-44): email, SAC (916) 319-2044, CAM (805) 482-1904, OX (805) 483-4488
• Not your people? Which assemblymember/state senator is mine?: findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Minimal email/text script: Dear Representative/Senator [___], 

As your constituent, I am writing to relay my opposition to the so-called “permitting reform” legislation drafted by the fossil fuel industry and pushed by Senator Manchin. I urge you to do all you can to oppose and block this legislation.

Further handouts to the fossil fuel industry are unacceptable. I understand that the final legislation has not been released, but the draft text and one-page summary of the deal that was leaked guts bedrock environmental protections, endangers public health, fast-tracks harmful fossil fuel projects, and would push toward completion many environmentally hazardous projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline, against which many of Manchin’s own constituents are protesting. The draft legislative text that’s circulating is just as bad, and even bears a watermark from the American Petroleum Institute! 

I am calling on you to pledge right now to oppose all further fossil fuel handouts. Protecting our communities and climate is more important than giving another gift to the fossil fuel industry. Stand with the communities impacted by fossil fuels and the climate crisis and stop the dirty deal!

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, [name, zip code]

Share the call-in action using this example Twitter thread:

1. 🧵Please call your representative & urge them to do all you can to block Senator Manchin’s dirty “permitting reform” proposal. #PeoplevsFossilFuels [Download graphic here]
2. Hi, my name is ____, & I’m from ____. As your constituent I’m calling to demand that you do all you can to block Senator Manchin’s “permitting reform” proposal.  Protecting our communities and climate is more important than giving another gift to the fossil fuel industry. Stand with the communities impacted by fossil fuels and the climate crisis and stop the dirty deal!

More samples/talking points/Why Biden should declare a climate emergency here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17DOR2ULNzeBF3KpgQ6JPq3eK0PBCEaQV7I1QneMcW7M/edit

Rinse and repeat: Contact Joe Biden again and ask him to declare a climate emergency!

Original post here with sample letter: https://indivisibleventura.org/2022/06/30/declare-an-environmental-emergency-mr-president/