Rescue groups have described the floods as the worst U.S. disaster since Superstorm Sandy.
(Photo: IIP Photo Archive/flickr/cc)
Aug 19, 2016
A coalition of climate and advocacy groups on Friday called on the Obama administration to cancel an upcoming fossil fuel auction as Louisiana reels from the unprecedented floods that have ravaged the state--and which rescue groups have described as the worst U.S. disaster since Superstorm Sandy.
The organizations, including 350.org, CREDO, and Greenpeace, circulated a petition imploring President Barack Obama to call off the planned August 24 offshore drilling lease auction for a portion of the Gulf of Mexico "the size of Virginia." The auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome, which became an infamous symbol of climate injustice and bureaucratic callousness when Hurricane Katrina victims were forced to take shelter there in 2005.
In the wake of the flooding, the groups said, allowing any more fossil fuel extraction--and in turn, facilitating the release of more climate-changing greenhouse gases--would be "unconscionable."
"My heart is filled with both a deep sadness and deep anger--at the fossil fuel companies driving this ongoing crisis, and at an administration that continues to sell them the right to do so," said Cherri Foytlin, a Gulf Coast mother of six and state director of the grassroots climate group Bold Louisiana.
Foytlin's home was one of the 40,000 that flooded in the disaster.
"The fact that this fossil fuel auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome--the site of one of the most visible and tragic instances of climate injustice in recent history--is nothing short of insulting. Allowing next week's fossil fuel auction to move forward is rubbing salt in the wounds of a region already in a state of emergency," Foytlin said.
Hundreds of activists are also planning to march in New Orleans on Saturday to protest the auction and the administration's continued sacrificing of the Gulf Coast to the fossil fuel industry.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Our Summer Campaign is now underway, and there’s never been a more urgent time for Common Dreams to be as vigilant as possible. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
hurricane katrinabarack obamaclimate emergencypeople powerfossil fuelsfossil fuel auctionsprotestfloodsenvironmentbold louisianasuperstorm sandylouisiana350.org
A coalition of climate and advocacy groups on Friday called on the Obama administration to cancel an upcoming fossil fuel auction as Louisiana reels from the unprecedented floods that have ravaged the state--and which rescue groups have described as the worst U.S. disaster since Superstorm Sandy.
The organizations, including 350.org, CREDO, and Greenpeace, circulated a petition imploring President Barack Obama to call off the planned August 24 offshore drilling lease auction for a portion of the Gulf of Mexico "the size of Virginia." The auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome, which became an infamous symbol of climate injustice and bureaucratic callousness when Hurricane Katrina victims were forced to take shelter there in 2005.
In the wake of the flooding, the groups said, allowing any more fossil fuel extraction--and in turn, facilitating the release of more climate-changing greenhouse gases--would be "unconscionable."
"My heart is filled with both a deep sadness and deep anger--at the fossil fuel companies driving this ongoing crisis, and at an administration that continues to sell them the right to do so," said Cherri Foytlin, a Gulf Coast mother of six and state director of the grassroots climate group Bold Louisiana.
Foytlin's home was one of the 40,000 that flooded in the disaster.
"The fact that this fossil fuel auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome--the site of one of the most visible and tragic instances of climate injustice in recent history--is nothing short of insulting. Allowing next week's fossil fuel auction to move forward is rubbing salt in the wounds of a region already in a state of emergency," Foytlin said.
Hundreds of activists are also planning to march in New Orleans on Saturday to protest the auction and the administration's continued sacrificing of the Gulf Coast to the fossil fuel industry.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
A coalition of climate and advocacy groups on Friday called on the Obama administration to cancel an upcoming fossil fuel auction as Louisiana reels from the unprecedented floods that have ravaged the state--and which rescue groups have described as the worst U.S. disaster since Superstorm Sandy.
The organizations, including 350.org, CREDO, and Greenpeace, circulated a petition imploring President Barack Obama to call off the planned August 24 offshore drilling lease auction for a portion of the Gulf of Mexico "the size of Virginia." The auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome, which became an infamous symbol of climate injustice and bureaucratic callousness when Hurricane Katrina victims were forced to take shelter there in 2005.
In the wake of the flooding, the groups said, allowing any more fossil fuel extraction--and in turn, facilitating the release of more climate-changing greenhouse gases--would be "unconscionable."
"My heart is filled with both a deep sadness and deep anger--at the fossil fuel companies driving this ongoing crisis, and at an administration that continues to sell them the right to do so," said Cherri Foytlin, a Gulf Coast mother of six and state director of the grassroots climate group Bold Louisiana.
Foytlin's home was one of the 40,000 that flooded in the disaster.
"The fact that this fossil fuel auction is set to take place in the New Orleans Superdome--the site of one of the most visible and tragic instances of climate injustice in recent history--is nothing short of insulting. Allowing next week's fossil fuel auction to move forward is rubbing salt in the wounds of a region already in a state of emergency," Foytlin said.
Hundreds of activists are also planning to march in New Orleans on Saturday to protest the auction and the administration's continued sacrificing of the Gulf Coast to the fossil fuel industry.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.