Biden signed the IRA. What’s next for the climate justice movement?

Last night, the Biden administration officially passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and we want to take a moment to ground ourselves in what this means for the climate justice movement – both on a national scale and here in the Pacific Northwest. It’s important we let ourselves feel everything we need to about the IRA: whether that’s hope or relief, disappointment or frustration. It’s important we honor the organizing work and the leadership of frontline communities that has made any amount of national-level climate action feel possible.

The 350PDX staff are still sifting through the IRA – the good, the bad, the ugly – but one thing is clear: the act fails to answer the climate movements’ core demands. Even though the IRA does some good things – setting new clean energy investments in motion and taxing big business – it also leans heavily on false climate solutions. And worst of all, it opens the door for the fossil fuel industry to keep polluting communities, especially those already on the frontlines of energy extraction and the climate crisis: BIPOC, low-income, and rural communities.

One next step we’re committed to: We echo the demands of the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition. A coalition of over 1000 groups across the country, People vs. Fossil Fuels is calling for the end to the fossil fuels era, full stop. The IRA doesn’t meet these demands, so there’s more work to do. We’re excited to hire our first ever National Fossil Fuels Organizer, who will expand our work in the coalition.

As we’re looking to grow our national work, we remain committed to local actions. We believe that building local people power is key to creating lasting, radical change in the Pacific Northwest, as well as across the country.

Write to your members of Congress to stop new fossil fuel legislation

As part of the deal to pass the IRA, Senators Manchin and Schumer are introducing a separate piece of legislation that would fast-track permit approvals for dangerous fossil fuel projects in September.

No one has seen the official legislation yet, but the one-page summary of the deal that was leaked is a disaster – it guts bedrock environmental protections, endangers public health, fast-tracks fossil fuels, and pushes approval for Manchin’s pet project, the Mountain Valley Pipeline – and a draft legislative text that’s circulating is just as bad, it even bears a watermark from the American Petroleum Institute!

This is a dirty deal written by and for the fossil fuel industry. Write to your Members of Congress right now to stop this legislation of new fossil fuel handouts. 

Check out this toolkit for more ways to take action to stop Manchin’s Dirty Deal, including calling and posting on social media.

Tell the top 10 banks & insurers to drop fossil fuel clients

Banks and insurance companies are propping up fossil fuel expansion – accelerating the climate crisis and putting us all in danger. In the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act – which fails to end fossil fuel expansion – we must continue to take action. Join the Rainforest Action Network in sending a message to US banks and insurance companies demanding they walk away from fossil fuel clients like Exxon, BP, and Enbridge.

Tell FERC: Deny the GTN-Xpress Project

TC Energy (the company behind the Keystone XL Pipeline) is planning to expand its Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) pipeline, which runs from British Columbia through Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California, by up to 250,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d). That’s enough gas to service 1.2 million households each day — an awful lot of gas to be piping into a region that is supposed to be moving away from its reliance on fracked gas.

Before TC Energy can break ground on its expansion project, it must get approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). A central part of FERC’s review involves an analysis of whether the proposed project is in the public interest. Considering Oregon and Washington’s clear desire to move away from fossil fuels, it seems like a no-brainer that a major pipeline expansion project is not in the public interest.  Make your voice heard: Submit a comment to FERC.

Join Portland United for Change

The Portland United for Change coalition is seeking to pass a transformative ballot measure this November and create a Portland City Charter that works for everyone:

• Ranked-choice voting for City Council positions
• Expanding City Council by adding 4 new geographic districts, each with 3 new representatives
• A new governance structure where City Council is focused on setting policies and the Mayor is focused on implementing them

We’re supporting this measure because we believe it will give Portlanders a better chance to elect climate champions to Council, fewer roadblocks and red tape between the City and real climate action, and a more just democracy for all of us – and you should too! From talking to voters to displaying a lawn sign, there’s many ways to help this historic measure pass; find out how you can support the campaign by signing up here.

Sign the 350PDX Pledge of Action!

Climate change is scary, but there are meaningful actions that anyone can take to fight back. Help us build the just, resilient world we all deserve by signing the Pledge of Action! Whether you are brand-new to the movement or a seasoned activist, we want you to join us by taking the pledge. Sign the Pledge of Action today!