Human Rights

The entire nuclear fuel chain involves the release of radioactivity, contamination of the environment and damage to human health. Most often, communities of color, indigenous peoples or those of low-income are targeted to bear the brunt of these impacts, particularly the damaging health and environmental effects of uranium mining. The nuclear power industry inevitably violates human rights. While some of our human rights news can be found here, we also focus specifically on this area on out new platform, Beyond Nuclear International.

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Tuesday
Feb072017

BREAKING: Dakota Access Pipeline

FOE action alert:

Don't let Trump force construction of Dakota Access: Help cut off the money for the project!

The Army Corps of Engineers just greenlighted the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The Corps was supposed to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement. It was supposed to accept comments from people like you. 

But two weeks ago Donald Trump signed an executive action to speed up the project. Now the Corps is in Trump’s pocket.

You can still resist Trump and this pipeline by cutting off the funding to complete it. Wall Street giants Citigroup and Wells Fargo are part of a group of banks who provided a $2.5 billion loan for the project. We need you to tell the banks to stop the pipeline!

Don’t let Trump force construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline! Tell Citigroup and Wells Fargo to pull their loans for the project.

The Trump Administration’s action is a betrayal of the Water Protectors who stood up for their water and sovereignty. This dangerous project threatens the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. And it cuts through wildlife habitat and the tribe’s ancestral lands.

The Water Protectors and their allies have been fighting this project for nearly a year. They’ve faced a pattern of police and private security violence. Attack dogs, rubber bullets, concussion grenades, tazers and mace have been used. Hundreds of people have been injured.

By pushing the banks to cut off funding for the pipeline, you’re not only helping to resist the project -- you’re drawing more and more attention to the fight. As people take to the streets in the coming days, that attention could force police and private security forces to think twice about using violence.

Take action now: Help stop the Dakota Access pipeline by cutting off the money!

 

Donald Trump has made it clear that his America does not include the millions of Americans who are standing up to protect their land, water, sacred cultural sites and climate from dangerous pipelines.

But Trump doesn’t know how big a fight that he’s in for. So we need you to show him that he can’t just come in and undo the progress we’ve made -- starting by cutting off the money for this pipeline.

Stand up to Trump’s extreme agenda: Tell Citigroup and Wells Fargo to pull their loans for Dakota Access!

Standing with you,
Doug Norlen,
Economic policy program director,
Friends of the Earth
 

Tuesday
Feb072017

URGENT: Dakota Access Pipeline approved, take action

Sierra Club action alert:

BREAKING: The Army Corps of Engineers stopped the environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline and issued the final approval. Hold them accountable by taking action now.

STAND WITH STANDING ROCK

Outrageous. The Trump administration just issued the final approval for the Dakota Access Pipeline, putting corporate profits above the safety and sovereignty of the Standing Rock Sioux. Trump is blatantly ignoring the environmental review and public comment period that the Army Corps of Engineers already started under the Obama administration.

The Standing Rock Sioux recently stated, "We stand ready to fight this battle against corporate interest superseding government procedure and the health and well-being of millions of Americans." We continue to stand with them.

Take action: Send a message to the Army Corps of Engineers to hold them accountable for putting Big Oil first by stopping the environmental review of the Dakota Access Pipeline!

n December, the Obama administration ordered an environmental review of the pipeline to study the effect it would have on the Standing Rock Sioux's sacred land and Lake Oahe, the body of water the pipeline would cut through. The public comment period opened in January, and since then, the Water Protectors and their supporters have already submitted more than 200,000 comments opposing the pipeline that the Army Corps has now chosen to ignore in favor of helping Big Oil. 

This blatant disregard for the rights of the Standing Rock Sioux, the need for an environmental review, and for the democratic process of considering public feedback is unacceptable. Send a message to the Army Corps of Engineers now to show them that we will not be silenced!

By casting people aside for corporate polluter profits, Donald Trump continues to show what his White House stands for: corruption, bigotry, and greed. More than 300 tribes and millions of Americans will continue to stand united in opposition to this reckless project, and we are not backing down. We will continue to stand in solidarity with the movement that is challenging the fossil fuel status quo in so many places - from the Tribes fighting the Trans Pecos Pipeline in Texas, to the First Nations and landowners fighting the Keystone XL pipeline, to the landowners challenging the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, to the Gwich'in people standing up for continued protection of the Alaska Refuge. Our movement is strong, and it cannot be silenced by this administration's blatant prioritization of corporate profits over people's wellbeing.

Last year, 15,000 people -- including veterans and hundreds of Tribes from around the world -- traveled to North Dakota to peacefully support the Standing Rock Sioux and oppose this dangerous pipeline. Their prayers and songs were increasingly met by a militarized police force using dogs, water cannons, rubber bullets, pepper spray, concussion grenades, and other tactics designed to intimidate, dehumanize, and invoke fear.

There's no question that a fair and comprehensive environmental review would show that this pipeline will threaten the safety of every community it cuts through, including the ancestral lands of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. We must hold the Army Corps of Engineers accountable for breaking their promise to Standing Rock and to the millions of people who supported them. Speak up by sending the Army Corps a letter now.

This is just the first step in our fight to hold the administration and the Army Corps of Engineers accountable, and we will continue to let you know how you can fight back. We will not back down.

Thank you for standing with Standing Rock,

Michael Brune
Executive Director, Sierra Club

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Tuesday
Feb072017

BREAKING: Army greenlights Dakota Access Pipeline

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.

Add your name: The California public pension funds must end their investment in the Dakota Access Pipeline NOW.

your fellow climate hawk,

Brad

Tuesday
Feb072017

Food & Water Watch: Trump can't have Dakota Access

This action alert was sent out by Eleanor Bravo, National Pipeline Campaign Manager at Food & Water Watch:

There's Still Time to Fight the Dakota Access Pipeline
Submit a Comment to the U.S. Army Corps: Complete the Environmental Review!

Last week, raids and arrests continued as Water Protectors stood their ground against Trump's push to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline.1

No matter where you live, you can weigh in to stop construction of the pipeline, which would cross the Missouri River and endanger drinking water for the indigenous Standing Rock Sioux and all others downstream.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is collecting public comments on the pipeline. We will be delivering comments in D.C. on Thursday.   

Tell the Army Corps — Fulfill the commitment to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement on the Dakota Access Pipeline!

The 1,170 mile pipeline is projected to carry 500,000 barrels of oil underneath the Missouri River per day. Last December, President Obama announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would not grant Dakota Access the permit needed to drill under the Missouri River at Lake Oahe and complete construction of the pipeline.

The Army Corps has said they will conduct an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the river crossing and explore possibilities for alternative routes, but Trump has since ordered the Corps to expedite approval of the pipeline.2

Kevin, your comment is needed to demand that the Army Corps completes the necessary environmental review on the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The Army Corps must carry out a full and robust environmental review — not only at the Lake Oahe location, but the full length of the proposed pipeline route. The Corps must consult with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and evaluate how this pipeline would affect its drinking water, health, culture, and way of life.

The Dakota Access Pipeline has already been routed away from Bismarck to protect the water supply of its majority white, affluent community. And the Army Corps has routinely ignored recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency and moved forward with the project in spite of inadequate tribal consultation.

The Army Corps has an obligation as a federal agency to conduct a full environmental review — and we'll make sure they get the message loud and clear when we join the delivery this Thursday in D.C. All comments are due on February 20th.

Please take a moment to submit a comment through our sister organization, Food & Water Action Fund, and tell the Army Corps to comply with President Obama's order for a full environmental review.


Thank you for weighing in,

Eleanor Bravo
National Pipeline Campaign Manager
Food & Water Watch
act(at)fwwatch(dot)org

1. Chase Iron Eyes among protesters arrested in confrontation, The Bismarck Tribune, February 1, 2017.

2. Army Says It Is Expediting Review Of Dakota Access Pipeline Route, NPR, January 31, 2017.

Tuesday
Feb072017

Standing Rock denounces Army easement announcement, vows court challenge