WASHINGTON – The omnibus spending bill will deliver billions of dollars in subsidies for fossil fuel extraction, carbon capture and nuclear energy — undermining claims that it is a win for efforts to fight climate change.
Earlier this month, reports indicated that the bill would include dirty energy provisions from the American Energy Innovation Act and the USE IT Act. In response, over 300 climate, community, faith, indigenous and environmental groups from across the country signed a letter to Democratic leaders voicing opposition to these fossil fuel subsidies.
In response, Food & Water Watch Policy Director Mitch Jones released the following statement:
“Instead of promoting climate solutions, the provisions in this spending bill will further increase our dependence on dirty energy by propping up the very industries that are creating the climate crisis and devastating communities.
“Carbon capture is not a means to fight climate change — it is an industry-backed scheme to continue business as usual. Pretending that we can keep fracking and somehow reduce emissions is just a different form of climate denial. We need meaningful policies from the next Congress and president-elect Joe Biden that will quickly rein in the fossil fuel industry, not give them handouts to prop up phony climate solutions.”