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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Ellen Sciales, press@sunrisemovement.org 

Sunrise Movement Responds to Largest Oil and Gas Sale in History

WASHINGTON

This morning, following the news that the Biden administration is set to hold the largest oil and gas sale in history, Varshini Prakash, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement, released the following statement:

"Today I woke up enraged, but not surprised, that Biden would choose to cater to fossil fuel corporations over our futures. Biden can't be the climate President when he is actively selling our water to the highest bidder and lobbying oil states to produce more fossil fuels. It speaks volumes that days after COP26, and only months after the IPCC issued a 'code red for humanity,' he is approving major lease sales in the Gulf rather than doing everything in his power to stop extracting more fossil fuels and pass Build Back Better to meet his emissions goals and advance environmental justice. Biden's actions are a slap in the face to us -- the young people who will have to live with the repercussions of the climate crisis.

"We must ask Biden, what are your real priorities? Instead of allowing a coal baron to water down his climate agenda, lobbying oil states and approving pipelines and leases, Biden should be using his power to confront the fossil fuel industry head on. He can't Build Back Better while he's approving new fossil fuel drilling. Period."

Sunrise Movement is a movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.