Today, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, New York Assembly Members and activists representing Food & Water Watch, New York Communities for Change, Climate Families NYC, 350 Brooklyn, Sunrise NYC and Greenpeace USA rallied at the local office of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, urging him and other House leaders to oppose a pro-fossil fuels deal negotiated by Senators Schumer and Manchin. The legislative “side deal,” conceived during negotiations around the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act, would fast track the approval of fossil fuel infrastructure like pipelines and export facilities, reduce public input, and weaken bedrock environmental protection laws.

Activists are targeting Rep. Jeffries due to his powerful leadership position in the House. The rally comes two weeks after 12 activists were arrested outside Senator Schumer’s office protesting the dirty side deal.

With the House in recess until after Labor Day – and Schumer pushing for a vote in September on the deal – activists across New York and the nation are using this week to pressure representatives while they are home to oppose this dangerous proposal. Food & Water Watch Volunteer Ken Schles, a constituent of Rep. Jeffries said:

“Senator Schumer’s side deal is dirty and dangerous. New Yorkers have won critical victories to end the reign of polluting fossil fuels, and our own Senator’s backroom negotiations put us newly at risk. Fast tracked fossil fuel permitting cuts the public out of the processes built to protect us, and required completion of dirty fracked gas projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline are unconscionable. Rep. Jeffries must stand up for New Yorkers and our climate and say no to the side deal.”

“Five years ago 350Brooklyn joined with other organizations across the city to stop an expensive, unnecessary, and destructive fracked gas pipeline from being built in our waterway and threatening our shores including Coney Island, a New York City landmark,” said Lynn Tondrick of 350Brooklyn. “And we won. If Manchin’s bill becomes law, similar projects will be rammed down the throats of local communities with no recourse. In opposing this bill, we stand with people all over this country working to protect their land, their health, and the planet’s future.”

“Right now, Members of Congress are at odds over a dirty deal that would sacrifice lives at the altar of Big Oil profits. The architect of this dirty deal, Senator Joe Manchin, is the top recipient of oil and gas money in Congress and now he wants to pay back his fossil fuel buddies by fast tracking coal, gas, and oil projects at the cost of our health and a livable future,” said Seth Laxman, climate campaigner at Greenpeace USA. “Human lives are not bargaining chips. Representative Hakeem Jeffries must prevent this deal from going any further.”

Photos and videos of the event are available here; a recorded live stream is available here.

Contact: Phoebe Galt, [email protected]

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