Attacks on our critical environmental safeguards by Trump and his administration have been fast and furious with no end in sight. But CVNM members and supporters have responded to let them know we are paying attention and we will be vocal in our opposition. Here’s a report on some of the significant work we’ve done together to speak up for our health, air, water and land.
In May, Trump’s EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced they would review all “regulations that may be appropriate for repeal, replacement, or modification” based on whether or not they “impose costs that exceed benefits.” We know that protections for the air we breathe and the water we drink should not be made based on a cost-benefit analysis. We know that when decisions are made that way, it is low-income, rural and communities of color who bear the brunt of pollution and impaired public health from lax regulations. Nearly 1,000 CVNM members and supporters like you joined 55,000 people nationwide to push back against this crude attempt to rig the system for a few well-connected industries.
At almost the same time, Trump’s Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced that his department would be reviewing 27 national monuments designated by presidents under the Antiquities Act over the past 21 years. Spanning from the spectacular undersea gardens of Hawaii to the mountains of Maine, this order also threatened New Mexico’s own Rio Grande del Norte and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks national monuments. Again, New Mexicans spoke out loud and clear. Nearly 1,600 CVNM members and supporters joined 2.7 million folks nationwide in defense of our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.
We are proud of the role CVNM and our supporters play in remaining vigilant against attacks on America’s bedrock environmental protections for our air, water, land and healthy communities. It is clear these attacks are not over and our work is not done. We strive to keep you informed and to help you engage in these critical discussions. Together, we are stronger.
