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Home My WebLink About073124 email - Director’s Notes_ From Ben Jealous_ July 2024ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. <http://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9b13727661047e75/m/1/SCLogo_HorizWebBlack_200x72pxforCM.png> Dear John, This month has been nothing if not eventful. Our democracy and democratic process were tested. There was the aftermath of this year’s first presidential debate. Then there was the abhorrent assassination attempt on Donald Trump. And then we saw the addition of one of the most shameless fossil fuel industry shills in Congress to the GOP ticket in JD Vance, followed by a Republican National Convention that triumphantly glorified bigotry, authoritarianism, and climate denial at every turn. But, as it tends to do over the arc of history, America seems to have come out stronger on the other end – all in the span of just a few weeks. We saw an act of true patriotism and national service in President Biden’s decision to put the country ahead of himself and exit the presidential race. It was then followed by a groundswell of support for my dear friend Vice President Kamala Harris, whom the Sierra Club has enthusiastically endorsed to be the next president of the United States. President Biden has been the single best president for climate and environmental action in American history. We have full faith that Vice President Harris will continue and expand on that legacy. Thank you for continuing to stand with us shoulder-to-shoulder in our shared fight to protect our natural world and the health of our planet and its people! Ben <https://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9b13727661047e75/m/2/8bc767ab-dd50-45c3-82df-f23ae8b36f76.png> ________________________________ SPOTLIGHT: Sounding the Alarm about Project 2025 At stake in this election is all the remarkable progress we’ve made since President Biden was sworn into office. Protecting and continuing that progress is vital to minimizing the harm of the climate crisis, reining in the extinction crisis, and ensuring our planet remains livable for all species -- including humankind. But we also know that cornerstones of the American experiment itself are on the line. Case in point: Project 2025. You have likely heard or read about the Heritage Foundation’s 900-page playbook for demolishing many of the core democratic institutions and constitutional principles upon which our republic is built. In my op-ed about Project 2025 <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a79462bc721eb448cc71c5b0c47ff0697130d2906c955a97e913074585b473332332731505729429f535b735bb0985 f7879> I share the dire threat this poses to checks and balances, limits on presidential power, and the independence of non-political government employees and agencies dedicated to the pursuit of justice and the basic functioning of our government. It is also a roadmap to allow rampant abuse of the environment, consumers, workers, and public health by corporate interests. More Highlights Beyond Coal Campaign: Shutting Down Coal Plants and More! * Following our work to advance the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda and the steadfast efforts of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign and our Ohio Chapter, we’re thrilled that this month marked the 385th coal plant to have its retirement announced since our Beyond Coal Campaign started in 2010! A Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded by the EPA to Cuyahoga County, Ohio is allowing the City of Painesville to retire its municipal coal power plant <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a79d98c7eadeb5067217e032d117736 582a2b25522dd0613f6a4efa8647c27af20ebbf630766605538528a39259f0fac0cf> and replace its energy production with solar and battery storage. This is a big win for the region’s people and the environment writ large. * In North Carolina, a recent funding grant to our Beyond Coal Campaign is fueling a multimodal grassroots pressure campaign to get the monopoly electricity provider Duke Energy to come up with a plan to achieve the state’s emissions reduction targets. Thanks to the grant, we’ve enhanced the campaign with a strong paid and earned media push, featuring digital ads, mobile billboards <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a79ee5eab37af56f6928353b5d8b96ac0a891aa1b531a2af44c4af304eeedd230fa6f478f6a1d1bafc40190bc628a8a0059> , pitching targeted op-eds, and more. <https://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9b13727661047e75/m/1/e826b8ee-931e-4c3b-a12d-362e61b1bef1.png> Photo by Arc Initiatives Progress in Protecting More of the Arctic from Drilling <https://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9b13727661047e75/m/1/fdc7a403-79a0-4346-9fd0-d6b0097daf72.jpg> Photo by Danielle Brigida, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Today I am on my way back from a trip to the Western Arctic with a group of dedicated Sierra Club supporters. Another crucial example of progress in our work this month was the announcement by the Biden-Harris administration that it is moving forward on the process to expand so-called Special Areas in this very region. This would preserve and add protections for millions of acres of public lands in one of the last untouched ecosystems in the United States, safeguarding vital habitat for imperiled species. This latest action by the administration is an important step in protecting the Arctic from the devastation of fossil fuel extraction, but it is critical that we keep fighting. The Arctic is on the front line of the climate crisis in many ways, and the Sierra Club will remain on the front line of the fight to protect its pristine and awe-inspiring lands. As always, we are eager to hear from you with any questions or feedback you have about our work. You can reach me directly at ben.jealous@sierraclub.org <mailto:ben.jealous@sierraclub.org?subject=> or contact Shabina at shabina.bahl@sierraclub.org <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a79fcabc75f11392d2b3522d25303d4da72b24dd1a742ee4a42730326f990f62f8b9a40466fb3f7f2cf29cef482ed 548ede> . Thank you for everything! <https://image.emails.sierraclub.org/lib/fe9b13727661047e75/m/1/a8244918-345d-4d93-a5d1-4e55223af2b4.png> This email was sent to: jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us This email was sent by the Sierra Club 2101 Webster St Suite 1300, Oakland, CA 94612 Unsubscribe <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a79fee5fc787e784ac33a0c2397785e5bfa6782b36d859243218053da63e776eeabb0954b419414c8fc07b50b91590004b5e9eaa730753383c9> | Manage Preferences <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a7998afc6ad1ce078176d852b215d1a8efbd09c730f6185e7406bcab8c5ca433d2882cc1bfdd1fafa20f5186c558e6f7a1a28be4e08a1766dda> | View as web page <https://view.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=56a4d93b22c7b8c1953b689a0c37ed37704514f89f7bb6fec331e72a10e5eb32dc364573b3228b0b107d5a43c57577d3259762d642d54582b378b106e62e274882489f60ba a2df169d953c3e5cecc784> <https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/open.aspx?ffcb10-fe8e1072736305797c-fe2e15727d640578761c75-fe9b13727661047e75-ff251d767361-fe5810797460007b771d-ff051674756400&d=70243&bmt=0> wn;en-US.url,52.0.0,2021.5.5.1,2021.5.5.1", "@entityExtractionTrustLevel": "Unknown", "@outputVersion": "1.0", "@schemaOrgVersion": "1.93", "url": "https://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=362d74ab79ed7a7998afc6ad1ce078176d852b215d1a8efbd09c730f6185e7406bcab8c5ca433d2882cc1bfdd1fafa20f5186c558e6f7a1a28be4e08a1766dda", "url/urlTextSpan": { "@type": "TextSpan", "beginIndex": 0, "length": 168 }, "@EntityId": "331d2279-5209-4803-a6de-9126e06024ea", "@correlationTrail": "ExtractionId=c64e3314-f418-46e7-9137-45dfa215cfc7;EntityId=331d2279-5209-4803-a6de-9126e06024ea", "@extractionTimeUtc": "2024-07-31T15:01:54.9279237Z" }, { "@type": "ContactPoint", "@context": "http://schema.org", "@source": "TEE,52.0.0,2024.7.9.1.V2,unknown;en-US.url,52.0.0,2021.5.5.1,2021.5.5.1", "@entityExtractionTrustLevel": "Unknown", "@outputVersion": "1.0", "@schemaOrgVersion": "1.93", "url": "https://view.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=56a4d93b22c7b8c1953b689a0c37ed37704514f89f7bb6fec331e72a10e5eb32dc364573b3228b0b107d5a43c57577d3259762d642d54582b378b106e62e274882489f60baa2df169d95 3c3e5cecc784", "url/urlTextSpan": { "@type": "TextSpan", "beginIndex": 0, "length": 199 }, "@EntityId": "761a2401-a1a8-4f45-bdb4-5b57d91bec87", "@correlationTrail": "ExtractionId=c64e3314-f418-46e7-9137-45dfa215cfc7;EntityId=761a2401-a1a8-4f45-bdb4-5b57d91bec87", "@extractionTimeUtc": "2024-07-31T15:01:54.9279237Z" } ]