Climate Hawks VOTE just released this action alert:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has just filed documents in court and with Congress notifying them that they are terminating the environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline and expediting its approval. Construction of the fracked-oil pipeline at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota may begin as early as tomorrow.
Tribal leaders have vowed to fight Trump, and we will stand with them. We also have the power to demand that banks stop investing in this Trump-approved, climate-killing disaster.
In particular, California's giant public pension funds - California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) and California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) - own a major chunk of Energy Transfer Partners, the company building the pipeline.
Tell CalPERS and CalSTRS: divest your holdings of Energy Transfer Partners.
The board of CalPERS is voting at a public meeting on February 13th on whether to support a plan to divest from DAPL. Currently, they plan to oppose divestment.
As of today, CalPERS owns 1,064,034 shares worth $41.9 million. In addition, CalSTRS, the schoolteachers’ retirement fund, owns debt securities (bonds) worth $28.7 million. The incoming Trump administration is ramming the project through — but we don't have to be a part of it.
These pension funds are overseen by boards that include public officials, including California Treasurer John Chiang and Controller Betty Yee. Gov. Jerry Brown personally appoints many of the board members. These elected officials are directly accountable to the people of California and have a responsibility to all people to make ethical and responsible investments.
Unlike most of the investors in the Dakota Access Pipeline, they have to listen to the public — if we speak out.
Together, we can get the California funds out of the unjust and dangerous Dakota Access Pipeline.
your fellow climate hawk,
Brad