The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release

In State of the Union, Trump Reaffirms Commitment to Big Oil at Expense of Americans

 

WASHINGTON

In this evening's State of the Union address, President Trump will be outlining, among other policies, his plans for continuing massive subsidies to the fossil fuel industry while gutting bedrock environmental policies in order to pave the way for hasty approvals of fossil fuel infrastructure proposals. A leaked draft of the infrastructure plan was obtained in recent days by the Washington Post. In response, Janet Redman, U.S. Policy Director with Oil Change International, released the following statement:

"Calling this disaster of a plan simply an infrastructure plan doesn't do the nightmare justice. It's a Make Big Oil Happy plan. It's a More Climate Disasters plan. It's a Taxpayer Dollars in Oil Executives' Wallets plan. It's a Bankrupt Our Communities plan.

"Trump wants to gut bedrock laws that protect the environment and public so his pals in the fossil fuel industry can get their way. This plan would gag public dissent at the same time as it expands the federal government's capacity to sell off public land for private profit. Trump's tax bill just ballooned the nation's deficit by slashing taxes for corporations and the rich - now he wants cash-strapped local and state governments to make up the difference.

"This infrastructure plan is a lot of things, but it is most definitely not a plan to bring the United States forward."

Oil Change International is a research, communications, and advocacy organization focused on exposing the true costs of fossil fuels and facilitating the ongoing transition to clean energy.

(202) 518-9029