Tweet“This is encouraging news and a big win for wildlife and impacted communities. We are committed to making sure this remains a longstanding victory and not a singular celebration. The environment cannot afford for this “dirty deal” to be attached to any additional legislation in the future.”
After heavy pushback from Defenders of Wildlife and many other environmental groups, a broad spectrum of nonprofits, frontline communities, and members of Congress, Senate leaders announced that the permitting agreement championed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), coined the “Dirty Deal,” will not be attached to the upcoming government funding bill.
The permitting agreement would undermine longstanding environmental safeguards such as the National Environmental Policy Act, one of the American public’s best tools for making their voice heard on projects that could degrade the environment. In doing this, it would be paving the way for fossil fuel projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
“This is encouraging news and a big win for wildlife and impacted communities,” said Robert Dewey, vice president of government relations for Defenders of Wildlife. “We are committed to making sure this remains a longstanding victory and not a singular celebration. The environment cannot afford for this “dirty deal” to be attached to any additional legislation in the future.”
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating 75 years of protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit defenders.org/newsroom and follow us on Twitter @Defenders.
