For Immediate Release, May 13, 2021
Contact: |
Randi Spivak, (310) 799-4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org |
Heinrich Fossil Fuels Transition Bill Is Step in Right Direction, But Needs Work to Make States Less Dependent on Oil, Gas Revenue
WASHINGTON— Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) plans to introduce legislation (Schools and State Budgets Certainty Act) to allow states to recoup revenue losses from the transition away from fossil fuels to meet the climate crisis.
Heinrich’s proposal would require the federal government to supplement revenue for states like New Mexico as federal oil and gas extraction decreases along with its revenue. However, the bill allows these states to reap windfall gains if oil and gas revenues remain high.
By allowing a windfall, the legislation perpetuates states’ dependence on oil and gas extraction and discourages support for bold climate action on public lands and waters.
“It’s important that Heinrich is trying to address the urgently needed, inevitable transition away from federal fossil fuels to ensure that states have a fiscal plan in place,” said Randi Spivak, public lands program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Unfortunately this legislation doesn’t decouple state budgets from fossil fuel revenue and reinforces incentives for states, counties and tribes to rely on federal fossil fuel extraction. There are easy solutions to help states transition, and we encourage amendments to Heinrich’s bill to address this critical flaw.”
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.