Following Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, United Women in Faith Urge Congress to Prioritize Environmental Justice and Frontline Communities 

For Immediate Release 

Aug. 18, 2022 

Contact: jenniferr@spotlightpr.org 

Following Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, United Women in Faith Urge Congress to Prioritize Environmental Justice and Frontline Communities 

NEW YORK – Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee, director of mobilization and advocacy, of United Women in Faith today issued the following statement on President Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law: 

“For years, our members have worked hard and partnered with frontline environmental organizations sending emails, made calls and met with legislators urging passage of ambitious climate legislation and investments that prioritize resources and just transition for frontline communities harmed by the current energy economy, meet the scale of the climate crisis, and fulfill U.S.’ responsibility to do its global climate fair share.  

“The Inflation Reduction Act is a step in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions pollution. The bill includes rebates and incentives for green-energy upgrades for consumers, businesses and nonprofits that will help the U.S. get closer to meeting its Paris Agreement. The bill also allocates $60 billion in environmental justice priorities.   

“However, we are deeply troubled that the Inflation Reduction Act reduces emissions at the expense of creating or perpetuating sacrifice communities. Frontline environmental justice communities have raised alarm and critique to this bill. The allocated budget for environmental justice fails to meet the Justice40 goal of delivering at least 40% of climate and clean energy funds to benefit disadvantaged communities.   

“This legislation increases investments in fossil fuel infrastructure particularly in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, and other problematic energy technology, including nuclear, biomass and carbon capture technology, where Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian American Pacific Islander and low-wealth communities will suffer the impacts of this extractive industry. Solar and wind development are only permitted once oil and gas lease sales take place on public lands. This is far from a just transition to a green energy economy. 

“The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act is not the end of our climate justice advocacy. As women of faith, we will continue to raise our voices to press for future legislation prioritizes climate justice, environmental justice and frontline communities and excludes subsidies for fossil fuels and other polluting energy sources.  

“The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2016 notes that the United States must ‘shift federal resources (both tax incentives and appropriated dollars) away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources such as solar, wind,’ and “support expansion of the infrastructure needed for cleaner energy vehicles, public transportation and ride-sharing.’”