Washington, DC – Members of the Coalition for Green Capital’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board released the following statements following the EPA’s announcement on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund:
“It’s critical that a national green bank be implemented as soon as possible,” said Raya Salter. “A national green bank is the best way that the EPA can leverage the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the benefit of both frontline communities and our climate.”
“This $27 billion opportunity to support our nation’s move towards a clean economy could be radically transformative for frontline and low-resourced communities,” said Sharlene Brown. “A national green bank that supports new models and expands the possibilities of communities as co-owners in a new period of economic prosperity could address environmental and climate justice issues and shrink the wealth gap in the United States.”
“Access to the emerging supply chain of clean energy products and services is critical to providing historically marginalized communities the opportunity to not only survive, but to thrive and compete in the future,” said Jesse Glickstein. “The urgency of the climate crisis forces us to think hard about how we achieve electrification and decarbonization not at the expense, but at the benefit of communities on the frontlines. It is critical that a national green bank be funded to maximize the potential benefits from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.”
CGC’s Environmental Justice Advisory Board guides the organization’s work to advance clean energy investments and prioritize a just transition for frontline communities and communities of color.
Sharlene Brown is Senior Fellow at Croatan Institute and director of the Institute’s initiative on Racial Equity, Economics, Finance, and Sustainability (REEFS).
Jesse Glickstein is the Environmental & Human Rights Counsel on the Global, Social, and Environmental Responsibility Team within the Ethics & Compliance Office at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company.
Raya Salter is the founder and executive director at the Energy Justice Law & Policy Center and a member of the New York State Climate Action Council.
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