FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Anne Lee Foster: 757-870-5102, anneleefoster@gmail.com
***NEWS ALERT***
Youth and Concerned Coloradans to Hold Rally and Press Conference Urging Climate Action Before Monthly COGCC Hearing
THRONTON, COLORADO — Tomorrow, September 25th at 1:30 pm at the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center in Thornton, youth and community members will gather for a rally and press conference with youth climate strike organizers before the public comment opens during the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s monthly meeting.
This month’s COGCC hearing falls during the Colorado Climate Strike Action Week, which kicked off last Friday with over 4 million people across the globe attending protests and demanding transformative action at scale with the climate crisis. The week of action (Sept. 21-29) brings attention to the local momentum building to end fossil fuel development and implement the solutions necessary to avoid a climate catastrophe. Colorado youth are demanding a future that protects their rights to clean air, water, and land – and an end to fossil fuel extraction, production and leasing.
Colorado residents are frustrated that the commission continues to approve new oil and gas permits, despite a new law (SB-181) enacted this past spring that charged the commission with prioritizing health and safety over industry profits. Residents are demanding that the full rulemaking mandated by the new law be executed before proceeding with more permits.
Youth are also speaking up and expressing concern with continued oil and gas permitting given mounting climate change indicators.
Nick Tuta of Sunrise Movement Boulder/Denver said: “Our planet is in a climate crisis, driven by fossil fuels. In a time when we need to be slamming on the brakes, each new permit fracking permit is pushing the gas pedal harder and harder. For our government to care more about industry profits than the health and safety of our community and of our plant is unconscionable.”
Sophia Chivers, a student at Niwot High School said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that a climate aware government continues to put the profits of fossil fuel companies over the health, safety, and welfare of their people.”
Liam Grove, 16, Denver said: “As a youth, it is disheartening that the people making decisions about my future are choosing to ignore it.”
Megan Neufeld, a Junior at Silver Creek High School said: “As a young person who will soon have to make decisions about my future, it’s terrifying to realize that any plans or ideas I have for that future will not mean anything if there is not a planet we are able to live on.”
Anne Lee Foster, Communications Director for Colorado Rising said: “Recently, director of the commission, Jeff Robbins, boasted to industry representatives that the state is back to pre-181 permitting rates despite none of the protective requirements of the law being in place. How can we be permitting at these rates with no consideration of cumulative impacts like the law requires? How can we be back to the rubber stamp rates of the previous commission despite no consideration for the climate crisis we are facing?”
- What: Climate Strike Action Week Rally & Youth Press Conference, immediately prior to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Hearing with Public Comment
- When: Wednesday, Sept. 25th 1:30pm Rally & Youth Press Conference followed by public comment at COGCC hearing, beginning at 2:15pm
- Where: Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center, 11151 Colorado Boulevard, Thornton, CO 80233
- Who: Concerned Colorado residents, youth, Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
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Colorado Rising is powering the grassroots movement to protect public health & safety from dangerous oil & gas operations.
To learn more, please go to www.corising.org
