Each week, 350 Colorado is promoting a specific action, which might be an event, a phone call to make, an email to send, steps to reduce your carbon footprint, or something altogether different that builds community to solve the climate crisis. With so much noise and chaos filling our inboxes, we thought this campaign could help focus. Our goal is to create a meaningful call to action that will be exciting for current members and engaging and educational for new members. Some may be location-specific, in which case we’ll include a way for you to act virtually. We hope you’ll join us in taking these actions. Please feel free to send us recommendations, and if you’re local group would like to get involved, please let us know. We’re stronger together!
May – Ongoing
Let Attorney General Cynthia Coffman know you’re not happy
she is fighting for oil and gas rather than Colorado citizens
On May 18, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman appealed a court decision in Martinez vs. the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC). That case, filed by a group of Colorado youth, maintained that COGCC was misinterpreting the legislative language that established it, and that it was giving insufficient consideration to the environmental and health impacts of oil and gas development in the state. The Martinez suit is intended to prevent the COGCC from issuing any new permits for oil and gas drilling “unless the best available science demonstrates, and an independent third party organization confirms, that drilling can occur in a manner that does not cumulatively, with other actions, impair Colorado’s atmosphere, water, wildlife, and land resources, does not adversely impact human health and does not contribute to climate change.”
On March 23, an appeals court overturned a lower court ruling and found in favor of Martinez. Governor Hickenlooper chose not to challenge that ruling, but our Attorney General, the woman who is supposed to be providing legal protection of our health and welfare, chose to go around the Governor and against the findings of publicly elected judges to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, using tax payer dollars to fight for oil and gas rather than the citizens of Colorado. LEARN MORE >>
April – Ongoing
Defund DAPL – Bank On Your Community Instead
After last month’s violent raid on the water protector camps in North Dakota, the #NoDAPL movement has doubled down on alternative tactics. The science is clear: in order to stick to the Paris Climate Accords maximum global temperature increase, there can be no new fossil fuel infrastructure. Yet the world’s largest financial institutions are banking on new pipelines. We need to send the big banks a message that they will not use our money to destroy our climate. This week, we are participating in the international call to #DefundDAPL.
Step 1:
The following banks are funding DAPL. If you have an account or a credit card with one of them, close/cancel it*. Take a picture of yourself outside of the bank.
Bank of America Citibank Chase
PNC Bank SunTrust TD Securities
U.S. Bank Wells Fargo BBVA Compass
*Note: This is not the complete list. Almost every big bank has financed fossil fuel projects. Even if you don’t do business with the banks funding DAPL, consider moving your assets to a small, local institution, which typically invests your money locally.
Step 2:
Move your money into an alternative bank – there are many credit unions and community banks in Colorado. Apply for a new credit card. Click here for some options.
Step 3:
Post your photo to social media with the hashtags #DefundDAPL and #DivestWith350CO. Then share your post on our Facebook timeline.
The personal movement to #DefundDAPL has already pulled $75million out of the offending banks. Once you have closed your bank account, you can add your money to the running total at www.defunddapl.org/defund.
Good luck, have fun with it, and remember, this action is more effective when you share it. Divestment works! Learn more on our Divestment page.
MARCH 15 – Ongoing
Support Our County Commissioners’ Efforts to Protect Us from Fracking
With the threat of lawsuits from the state, Boulder County Commissioners are being pressured to drop our moratorium on fracking. They have produced a very reasonable set of regulations for oil and gas development in the county, but the state’s oil and gas commission has also said counties do not have the right to protect their communities by regulating a dirty and dangerous industry. We must come together to show our support for the moratorium and strong regulation if forced to drop the moratorium. Before the county commission holds a hearing, we are rallying right outside the courthouse to make our voice heard. Then the Commissioners meeting is a public forum at which you are invited to speak. Sign up in the hallway outside the meeting room.
If you can’t make it downtown early afternoon on Tuesday, please submit your comments by email. Reference DC-16-0004 and send to oilgascomment@bouldercounty.org
FEBRUARY 26 – MARCH 4
Set a time on your calendar to call your representatives every week.
Take a Deep Breath! Get Represented, Not Repressed.
Phone calls from constituents have more influence on Members of Congress than letters, forms and social media. So, unless you can visit their offices, make sure to call your representatives regularly to make sure your voice is heard.
We know the attack on our climate is overwhelming. Our Action of the Week is meant to simplify and help you get through it all. Please make things easier on yourself by scheduling five minutes per week to make a set of phone calls. If it is on your calendar, you’ll be much more likely to do it. And calling is really effective, quick and easy. You can check back on our Action of the Week page each week to see what current issues need your voice.
This week there are several important issues to address:
Tell Cory Gardner “Don’t let the oil & gas industry vent methane into the atmosphere!”
Congress and the Trump administration plan on using a dirty trick to overturn the methane regulation put in place for very good reasons under Obama. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) allows Congress to override recently issued rules, going back months under President Obama. The CRA would not only block the current standards, but would also prevent any similar standards to ever be issued, letting the oil and gas industry off the hook indefinitely. And it could happen any day now.
Methane has 20 to 80 times the global warming potential that carbon dioxide has (depending on the timeframe you consider), which is why Colorado has required oil and gas developers to find and repair leaks on their equipment and to capture and sell methane from their wells rather than flaring it or simply venting it to the atmosphere. Despite early complaints, Colorado’s industry has found that complying with these regulations is actually cost-effective, and no longer opposes the regulations in Colorado. The Obama-era regulations are based on what is already in place and successful here in Colorado, and there’s every reason for them to be implemented around the country!
Methane is a huge contributor to climate change, and the fugitive emissions targeted by the regulation contribute to ground-level ozone, thereby impacting human and animal health. In addition, by not capturing methane, companies are wasting a precious resource and not paying royalties or severance taxes that belong to all citizens.
Cory Gardner is on the fence about the methane rule, and he needs to hear from you!
Call Senator Gardner: 303-391-5777
and say you oppose any effort to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Bureau of Land Management’s Methane and Natural Gas Waste Rule.
Stop Senate Bill 035
The fine print in this scary bill could broadly classify any sort of obstruction of oil and gas drilling as a felony. Learn more here.
Call State Sentator Steve Fenberg: 303-866-4872
Oppose Rick Perry as Secretary of Energy
The Senate is scheduled to vote on the nomination of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to be Secretary of Energy. Perry called for abolition of this department—then famously forgot which department it was—when he ran for President in 2012. He’s bad news for the environment.
Call Senator Bennet: 303-455-7600; DC: 202-224-5852
and Senator Gardner: (303) 391-5777; DC: (202) 224-5941
FEBRUARY 18-26
Resistance Recess – Attend a Community Town Hall Meeting with or without your local representative or senator
This is the first congressional recess of the year and first opportunity as constituents to speak directly with our Colorado Senators and Representatives to protect our communities and environment before corporate profits.
FEBRUARY 20
Rally for Justice in Support of #YOUTHVGOV
Six Colorado youth plaintiffs are suing the government and taking a stand to prioritize our health over fossil fuel profits. March and show support fot the fracking and climate lawsuit against the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.