Washington, DC — Today, 350 Action endorsed Marie Newman (IL-3) and Greg Edwards (PA-7) for U.S. Congress. Both Newman and Edwards answered 350 Action’s climate-focused questionnaire, which asks candidates what they will do to stop fossil fuel pipelines and replace fossil fuels with 100% renewable energy. See their full questionnaire answers below.
“These candidates are precisely in the mainstream of American life — like most of us, they understand that climate change is a grave risk, and that the last thing we need are more pipelines and the like,” said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben. “They know where the future lies, and they will work to move us there!”
“Congress needs more representatives ready to fight urgently for climate solutions at the scale of the problem,” said 350 Action executive director May Boeve. “Greg and Marie support that kind of action through expanding the renewable energy sector and saying ‘no’ to new fossil fuel projects.”
Newman and Edwards support the common sense view that we cannot build new fossil fuel projects if we want to address climate change. But they’ve also taken the fight against Big Oil to their campaigns, pledging that they will not accept money from fossil fuel companies. In Illinois, Newman is challenging an incumbent who supports the Keystone XL pipeline in the primary elections next week. Newman opposes Keystone and supports expanding solar, wind, and other renewable energy solutions. In her questionnaire, Newman responded, “Fossil fuels are the past. The future is in green technology, including renewable energy sources and we should be promoting those technologies for stable long term growth.”
Running in a Pennsylvania district battling the PennEast pipeline, Edwards is committed to stopping the fossil fuel industry’s expansion. A minister and community organizer, he’s in favor of public incentives to build the renewable energy systems we need. To make the renewable energy transition work for all communities, Edwards supports job training programs for former fossil fuel employees and investment in renewable energy co-ops. In his questionnaire, Edwards responded, “Action on de-carbonizing our society and creating a more sustainable future is required now, and not a moment later – just maintaining the status quo poses a serious risk to us all, and the impact is magnified specifically in economically vulnerable populations.”
350 Action previously endorsed Deb Haaland (NM-1) for Congress and Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous, and plans to endorse more candidates who are willing to fight for a broad progressive vision that includes a fossil free world.
###
Contact: Dani Heffernan, 350 Action, [email protected], +1 (305) 992-1544