Oil Change International Responds to Senate FERC Confirmation Vote
Today, the Senate voted by unanimous consent to confirm Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In response, David Turnbull, Campaigns Director at Oil Change International, released the following statement.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2017
CONTACT:
Kelly Trout, kelly [at] priceofoil.org, 717-439-0346
David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil.org, 202-316-3499
Oil Change International Responds to Senate Confirmation of Trump’s FERC Nominees
Today, the Senate voted by unanimous consent to confirm Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to serve on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In response, David Turnbull, Campaigns Director at Oil Change International, released the following statement:
“The Senate just gave about as much attention to pushing through these FERC nominees as FERC gives to the impacts of fossil fuel projects they approve: Zero. This is a shameful day in shameful times for the U.S. Senate.
“The spills, water pollution, and landslides that continue across the Midwest from construction of the FERC-approved Rover Pipeline illustrate how this agency has failed to protect the public. FERC urgently needs a major overhaul, not a new quorum to continue with business as usual. Powelson and Chatterjee, gas industry allies who promised nothing in the way of needed reform, should have been soundly rejected.
“Senators vowing to stand up to Trump on climate missed a major opportunity today. Climate leadership requires standing against the expansion of fracked gas infrastructure, not enabling FERC to rubber-stamp more of it. The new wave of gas pipelines under FERC consideration would lock in dependence on fracked gas that we cannot afford to burn, while delaying our transition to clean energy.
“Communities being harmed by FERC’s virtually indiscriminate approval of gas pipelines will keep fighting each project and fighting for a just future. Unfortunately, Senators failed to stand with them today.”
Notes to editors:
For an overview of key pipeline issues Senators should have considered when voting on these nominees, see: http://oilchange.org/2017/05/24/3-key-questions-trumps-fossil-friendly-ferc-nominees-must-answer/
For more details on why the natural gas pipeline buildout is incompatible with a stable climate, see: http://oilchange.org/2016/07/22/a-bridge-too-far-report/
###