Latest news with #ClimateCan'tWait
CBS News
15-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Michigan leaders rally for action on climate and environmental protections
Activists gathered in Detroit Saturday to demand action on climate and environmental justice. The demonstration comes as the Trump administration continues to cut down the federal workforce. Not even the snow and poor driving conditions could keep dozens of people from attending the Climate Can't Wait rally in Detroit. "The environment matters. It is not a bad word, and we shouldn't be firing people because they happen to be working on something that really does matter to people's everyday lives," U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell said. Dingell, who represents Michigan's 6th Congressional District, is referring to the nearly 400 Environmental Protection Agency workers who were recently fired. "Those were our new scientists, and engineers that we really needed to combat the climate crisis and to implement environmental justice," Brian Kelly, vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees said. Dingell and Kelly say the terminations will cause a ripple effect for years to come. "That's less eyes on the fossil fuel industry, less eyes on corporate holders, less eyes to make sure that they're complying with the air permits that they have," Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, DFL-12th District said. "Looking at numbers and not people, and understanding behind those numbers what is the true impact of the American people. It's irresponsible." Demonstrators said Saturday that in the last few years, we have seen some of the most extreme severe weather events, including the devastating wildfires in California and this rally is to raise awareness. "It's about rallying with people that know that science is real, that climate change is real, and we need to keep fighting regardless of what this administration is doing," Kelly said. Speakers at the rally say cutting back on federal funding and workers will have serious impacts. "I want to make sure that everyone is righteously angry and asking for what they deserve," Detroit City Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero said. "Because these are our resources, and they're our funds. These are our dollars that we should have a say in where they go." Organizers said this is a rally for good-paying union jobs, justice, health, the environment, climate change and the future.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit rally pushes back against Trump efforts to dismantle climate and health protections
One of the signs at the 'Climate Can't Wait' rally in Detroit. Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Jackson Coleman. More than 200 people rallied in Detroit during Saturday's 'Climate Can't Wait' rally. The event was designed to 'push back on [Trump administration] attempts to dismantle climate and health protections,' organizers said in a pre-event press release. Participants included U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), and Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero. 'Four hundred EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] employees were recently fired, including dozens from our region. Their job is to ensure the air we breathe is clean, the water we drink is safe, the ground our children play on won't give them cancer. Downriver we have Superfund sites and Brownfield sites being cleaned up from dangerous chemicals. Everyone in the country knows what happened to children in Flint because of lead in the pipes,' said Dingell. 'Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill to get the lead out of every pipe in America so no child or American was ever in danger again. We cannot lose all the progress we have made. We must stand up against dangerous, unconstitutional undermining of our environmental protections to keep our land, air, and water safe for generations to come.' Tlaib said 'Republicans have already begun their long list of handouts for Big Oil executives to get richer while the rest of us get sicker,' 'They are sending the message to frontline communities all across our country, including right here in Detroit, that corporate polluters' profits are more important than your health,' Tlaib added. 'We have the right to breathe clean air.' Santiago-Romero added: 'The President's administration is failing the American people. We are being robbed of our much-needed resources to address climate change and our aging infrastructure.' The effort was held at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation co-hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund Action, Great Lakes Business Network, Michigan Climate Action Network, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, and West Michigan Environmental Action Council. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
