From Creation Justice Ministries (http://www.creationjustice.org/):
Did you know Pennsylvania ranks third in the US for the number of Superfund sites—with 95 toxic sites located in both rural and urban areas? These sites, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency, require long-term response to clean up hazardous material contamination. Pennsylvania has more than 84,000 miles of streams and rivers and some 4,000 lakes as well as impoundments. These waters are in need of our protection, and our infrastructure for safe drinking water needs our care.
Yet, right now, Congress is considering short-changing the Environmental Protection Agency. A failure to invest in toxic site clean-up as well as our watersheds jeopardizes our communities’ health as well as the health of God’s creation. And, last year, the Flint Water Crisis showed us how devastating it can be if we take water infrastructure for granted.
Please lift your voice as a Pennsylvania faith leader by signing two letters in favor of proper investment in Superfund site clean-up as well as clean, safe water. You can sign one letter by sending a message to Shantha Ready Alonso at shantha@creationjustice.org (note Superfund or clean water letter), or sign both at this link: http://action.creationjustice.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23215.
See the full text of both letters is below. Thanks for your time and consideration.
To the Pennsylvania US Congressional delegation:
Faith communities have a profound call to be guardians of God’s creation and our communities’ health. In particular, we are called to voice our concern about toxic pollution. As leaders in the religious community—across a broad spectrum of denominations and organizations—we are writing to convey our common conviction that protecting vulnerable people from toxic pollution sites is a priority. Superfund sites are of particular concern.
The Judeo-Christian traditions teach us that we are judged by how we care for those who are most vulnerable. This includes children, older adults, people with low-incomes, and communities of color. It also includes threatened and endangered species. Toxic pollution sites pose a particular risk to the air, soil and water of fenceline and neighboring communities. According to the Toxic Waste and Race study by the United Church of Christ, people of color are more likely than any other demographic to bear disproportionate and unjust health burdens of toxic pollution.
Pennsylvania ranks third in the US for the number of Superfund sites—with 95 toxic sites located in both rural and urban areas. These sites, managed by the Environmental Protection, require long-term response to clean up hazardous material contaminations.
To administer the Superfund Clean Up Program, the Environmental Protection Agency needs the necessary staff and funding resources to implement. The EPA’s Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of the nation’s most contaminated land and responding to environmental emergencies, oil spills and disasters. To protect God’s creation and human health, it is vital that this important program be provided robust funding.
Across our community and across the country, religious leaders and people of faith have embraced the work of safeguarding ecological systems, so that the diversity of life can thrive—both human, and nonhuman.
In the coming days and months, as you help to shape key budget decisions regarding environmental issues – particularly clean air and water, as well as land protections – we urge you to be guided by a moral framework that includes responsible stewardship of God’s creation, and meeting our moral obligations to protect vulnerable communities today, and future generations.
Sincerely,
Sign by sending a message to shantha@creationjustice.org, or sign at this link: http://action.creationjustice.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23215.
LETTER ON CLEAN WATER
As faith leaders we recognize our responsibility to care for God’s creation. Water, one of God’s gifts, is a fundamental component of all life and for many faith communities part of sacred rituals such as baptism.
Because water is such an integral part of our physical and spiritual wellbeing, we are working to protect and conserve water in our own communities. Across Pennsylvania we are conducting blessing of the water events to highlight the importance of God’s gift of water, as well as remind our communities that we must never take it for granted or squander it.
We are calling on policymakers to join us in caring for water. We ask policymakers to work diligently and tirelessly to ensure that we all have access to clean water, whether that be from our tap or in God’s waterways and wetlands. We urge Congress in particular to ensure that funding is made available to provide infrastructure that supports clean water in the US and that proper resources are available to the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure clean water. In particular, we call on you to provide critical funding for the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. When properly funded and implemented, these laws ensure that our water supply is clean and reliable and that we have access to healthy waterways and wetlands.
Any federal budget should provide the necessary resource to promote water quality standards. The pollution of waterways and the erosion of critical water infrastructure continue to be a public health threat. The infrastructure that support clean water in the United States is in dire need of repairs and $1 trillion will be needed in the next 25 years to repair and expand U.S. drinking water infrastructure. A 2013 report released by the Environmental Protection Agency found that more than half—55 percent—of streams and rivers across the country are in poor condition to support aquatic life.
Pennsylvania has more than 84,000 miles of streams and rivers and some 4,000 lakes and impoundments. These waters are in need of our protection. Not only do they provide valuable recreation opportunities, food sources, and much needed drinking water, they are a precious part of God’s creation.
Robust funding will be needed to improve water quality in the United States and in Pennsylvania, particularly for those disproportionally impacted communities whose health has suffered because of water pollution.
As communities of faith across a broad spectrum of traditions, we understand water as a symbol of preservation, cleansing, and renewal. Water is a gift from God. We hope that you will join us in committing to protecting clean water so that we can ensure the health and wellbeing of our communities and all creation.
Sincerely,
Sign by sending a message to shantha@creationjustice.org, or sign at this link: http://action.creationjustice.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=23215.
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