Action Alert - Protect the National Environmental Protection Act!

On January 10th, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) proposed changes to roll back the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), which would adversely affect vulnerable communities. The changes will allow many federal agencies to evade the purpose and intent of NEPA – legislation that has protected the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the land where we live since 1978. Submit a public comment opposing the proposed changes to the NEPA.    NEPA is an important environmental law that requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impact of a new project. For many frontline environmental justice communities, NEPA is more than an environmental law; it is a civil-rights tool. NEPA evaluations must show any new project’s impact on public safety. The Administration's proposed rollback of NEPA would make analysis requirements less detailed for federal agencies, thus expediting projects such as pipelines and highways. With these new limitations in place, the consideration of less harmful alternatives would be severely limited. The Presbyterian Church (USA) stands firmly against the CEQ’s efforts to escape the responsibilities of NEPA. More than half of the PC(USA)’s General Assemblies have explicitly affirmed NEPA’s requirements since the adoption of NEPA in 1978. This is likely because NEPA, as it is written, forces government agencies to consider the real-world effects of its programs on God’s creation and people. It is our job to protect all of God’s creation. The CEQ’s changes proposed to the NEPA will make it much more challenging for us to do just that. Lift your voice TODAY!   The proposed rule is currently open for public comment until March 10th, 2020. Let your voice be heard and submit your public comment TODAY! Click the link below to log in and send your message: https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/g9jQFU2eVi8yAMxnSxN6Vw