FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2019
CONTACT:
David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil.org
Oil Change U.S. response to climate plans released by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Tom Steyer
Today, presidential contenders Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Tom Steyer each released their climate plans, both of which include a commitment to end fossil fuel subsidies and to phase out fossil fuel production in the United States. In response, David Turnbull, Strategic Communications Director at Oil Change U.S., issued the following statement:
“Today’s climate plans released by Senator Gillibrand and Tom Steyer continue the important trend of new Democratic Presidential climate plans that pull no punches and choose to take on the fossil fuel industry directly. Importantly, both plans from Gillibrand and Steyer call for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, an end to the issuance of new leases for fossil fuel production on public lands and waters, and a wind down of fossil fuel production.
“It wasn’t too long ago that Presidential campaign climate plans were built on vague promises to achieve unclear goals with no reference to the fossil fuel industry that is causing our climate crisis. That time has passed and today’s plans from Gillibrand and Steyer are the latest examples.
“It’s heartening to see both Senator Gillibrand and Tom Steyer join the majority of their fellow candidates in recognizing that addressing our climate crisis means standing up to the industry at the heart of the problem. This is just the type of bold action candidates are free to propose when they rip off the shackles of the fossil fuel industry by rejecting its money and influence on their campaigns.
“These types of plans to take on the fossil fuel industry and its dirty ways by keeping fossil fuels in the ground are precisely what we need Democratic candidates to be discussing from the stump and the debate stage. That’s why we stand alongside allies across the progressive movement to call on the Democratic Party to hold a debate centered on the climate crisis. We look forward to other candidates for president laying out their plans, and for the Democratic Party to give this critical issue the time and depth of discussion it deserves.”
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Notes to Editors:
– Sen. Gillibrand’s full policy paper can be found here:
https://medium.com/team-gillibrand/my-plan-to-tackle-climate-change-751ba2ae59e6
– Tom Steyer’s climate plan can be found here: https://www.tomsteyer.com/climate-plan-framework/
– Research by Oil Change International has found that without government action to limit fossil fuel production, including on public lands, the U.S. is poised for a massive expansion of drilling and carbon pollution: http://priceofoil.org/2019/01/16/report-drilling-towards-disaster/