Tell Trump: Put the EPA Back to Work and Save Lives!

Donald Trump, President

On March 26th, Andrew Wheeler, the head of EPA, announced that they will take no action against violations of basic air and water protections for the duration of the pandemic. In the middle of the greatest public health crisis in living memory, Trump’s EPA is cynically making it even easier for giant corporate polluters to poison our air, our water and our most vulnerable communities.

It was already hard to fathom how, by last week, this administration could have bungled its response to the coronavirus outbreak any more. Through a series of denials, delays and dumbfounding press statements, the President has managed to endanger even more lives by consistently placing corporate interests ahead of people’s health.

Here is who will bear most of the brunt of this decision: People who live in close proximity to heavy industry, who are already at higher risk of developing cancer and respiratory illness. Families who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and who already lacked access to health care, clean air and clean water. Black and brown and poor human beings who are being sacrificed in the name of the economic interest of a few wealthy and white elites.

We ask that you join us in demanding that our minimal protections be restored and send a clear message to this administration that our health and our bodies should always be their #1 priority, and that enough is enough!

To: Donald Trump, President
From: [Your Name]

It is indecent to force our families to sacrifice their own health for the financial well-being of some of the largest companies in the world, many of whom already pay no taxes. The EPA should reverse its decision immediately and resume enforcement of its minimal regulations, and you should focus on saving lives rather than causing more sickness, suffering and deaths.

The COVID-19 crisis is no excuse to stop enforcing clean air and water protections.

People living in sacrifice zone communities most impacted by pollution already suffer disproportionate rates of asthma, COPD, cancer and other diseases associated with pollution. As a result they are also disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19.

Now is the time to ramp up and double down on enforcing existing protections to ensure that those of us least able to fight off this disease are afforded the best chance at survival.

Tell Andrew Wheeler to rescind the EPA’s memo of March 26th, and fully enforce all existing air and water pollution regulations during this crisis.