As we look back at the progress we’ve made over the past few months, we can’t help but marvel at everything our supporters (that’s you!) have done to get us here. Your unwavering commitment to our cause was crucial to these successes, so we had to share some highlights of the past few months with you.
New York Birds and Bees Protection Act
Neonicotinoid pesticides are plaguing our food system – and have been doing so for decades. They’re the most widely used insecticides in the world, and they are extremely harmful to bees. They impact their navigation, make them more susceptible to disease, and can even kill them on contact. Not to mention, neonics have been found to impact human health – including links to birth defects and autism.
States in the Northeast like Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey and Vermont have taken steps to restrict neonics or pass consumer bans. Last year, the state of New York took it a step further and introduced the Birds and Bees Protection Act, which will eliminate 80-90% of the neonics entering New York’s environment yearly. We knew this would be a big deal -- not only in New York, but for our entire country as it’s the first bill of its kind in the U.S.
So we reached out to supporters like you -- and you stepped up. By signing petitions, you urged the state legislature to pass this landmark legislation. Thanks to your action, the bill made it to Governor Hochul and your consistent pressure resulted in her signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act into law!
This bill is a huge step towards neonic regulations in the U.S. and a massive win for our pollinators and human health. We couldn’t have made this happen without your help. Our work doesn’t end there: we hope to see the EPA ban the pesticide once and for all. But until then, we will continue to stand together against the greedy pesticide industry and work to protect bees and our planet.
Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon Monument
Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni is an area of over 900,000 acres surrounding the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” to the Havasupai and Hopi Tribes, respectively. The area includes important cultural and religious sites, plants, animals, and water sources that flow into the Colorado River.
That’s why a coalition led by local Tribal Nations called on President Biden to permanently protect this area, preserving and honoring their homelands and important cultural relics.
To amplify these voices and help push for an official designation, 57,155 Friends of the Earth members spoke up about this important monument. Finally, in August 2023, those demands were met. President Biden announced that Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni would become a national monument and it’s now permanently protected from extractive industry projects! The support from donors like you helped amplify tribal voices to make this happen.
Endangered Species Act Win for Vital Species
The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973 and has since been the most successful piece of legislation to protect vulnerable plants and wildlife. But in May 2023, Senate Republicans and Senator Joe Manchin launched an attack on the endangered lesser prairie-chicken – motivated by the desire to advance dirty energy projects and let Big Oil take over the prairie-chicken’s habitat.
We knew we couldn’t sit back and watch while protections were dismantled. Over 40,000 Friends of the Earth members like you took action to call on your representatives to oppose this dangerous resolution. But the House ignored this and passed the resolution to strip protections of the lesser prairie-chicken and other endangered species like the northern long-eared bat.
With your help, we called on President Biden to stand up against this reckless attack on a bedrock environmental law and veto the resolution. Thankfully, in September 2023, Biden listened and followed through on shutting it down! This win for the lesser prairie-chicken and the northern long-eared bat shows our commitment to protecting endangered species and standing up against Big Oil. And we couldn't have done it without the help of donors like you.
From the bottom of our hearts, we at Friends of the Earth want to express our deepest gratitude to you for fueling our mission for a healthy and just world day after day. While there is still plenty of work to do, these wins are a big deal -- and supporters like you played a big role in making them happen. Thank you for taking action with us, and we are honored to continue these fights with you by our side.
Regards,
Erich Pica
President,
Friends of the Earth
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.