Current Actions

Say Thank You for Strong Pollution Safeguards!

Thu, 02 May 2024 04:00:00 GMT

In April, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a suite of finalized pollution safeguards for the power sector, including strengthened standards on hazardous air pollutants under the life-saving Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS) and measures to cut carbon pollution from new gas power plants and existing coal-fired power plants. Together, these critical standards will defend our communities and children from life-threatening toxins like mercury and other Hazardous Air Pollutants–such as hydrochloric acid, arsenic, chromium, and soot–and prevent hundreds of premature deaths and hospital visits in the year 2035 alone. Other final standards released include protections against toxic wastewater and coal ash produced by coal-fired power plants.

For years, our EEN community has worked to champion these safeguards that put our children’s health first and cut climate-warming pollution. Join us in thanking the EPA and the Administration for taking this crucial step toward a healthy, pollution-free world and call on Congress to ensure a safe environment for all God’s children to thrive in.

Speak Out to Defend God's Creation

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Over the past few years, our EEN community has worked hard to support and strengthen historic climate legislation and pollution safeguards that defend our children’s health, provide family-sustaining careers, and put our nation and the world on the path toward a brighter future. Through petitions, phone calls to lawmakers, meetings, opinion pieces, and more, you and other EEN members have spoken out in faithful response to our biblical call to defend the vulnerable and steward God’s creation well.

These efforts have paid off. Through your dedicated actions and support, EEN has been a key player in helping pass unprecedented legislation such as the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the even bigger Inflation Reduction Act. In the past year alone, we celebrated finalized standards on heavy and light-duty vehicle pollution, methane, and soot. But this critical progress is in danger of being rolled back.

At this crucial moment for our children, communities, and climate, we cannot afford to delay or reverse any of the important steps that have been made. Join us in lifting your voice to defend these investments in climate and our health and to stop efforts to repeal life-saving pollution safeguards.

Support the Creation of a Black Wall Street National Monument

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

In December 2023, Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) visited North Tulsa, Oklahoma to introduce legislation that would designate the Historic Greenwood District, where the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre took place, as a national monument. This long-due designation of “Black Wall Street” will honor the legacy of those who were killed in the historic massacre and recognize the profound resilience, agency, and fortitude of the Black community–both past and present–in the face of violence and oppression.

As evangelical Christians who are committed to living out the reconciliation modeled to us by Jesus Christ, we at EEN applaud this proposed designation as an important and necessary step toward national healing, repentance, and collective hope. Join us in sending a message to lawmakers to support this act of remembrance and resilience by establishing the Black Wall Street national monument.

Lift Your Voice Against Rolling Back Soot Safeguards

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

As pro-life evangelicals, we have a special concern for the unborn. We want children to be born unhindered by the ravages of pollution before they take their first breath, and we want that first precious breath—and each one thereafter—to be healthy.

EEN recently celebrated new, stronger soot standards that would help provide safer, cleaner air for all of us to breathe. However, these safeguards are in danger of being rolled back and repealed by Congress through a process known as a “Congressional Review Act” resolution.

According to the American Lung Association, 20 million Americans are exposed to dangerous levels of soot—microscopic particles mainly produced by the combustion of coal, diesel, gasoline, biofuels, and related high-temperature industrial activities. Soot pollution is responsible for up to 200,000 individual deaths each year, is the leading cause in 1 out of every 9 premature births, and is linked to up to 1 in 5 premature births among Black mothers.

Every life is sacred, and turning a blind eye to soot pollution that worsens asthma, dementia, and more is no way to love our neighbors. Join us in lifting your voice to say that attempts to roll back stronger soot safeguards are misguided and harm the health of those we are called to defend.

Support Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Future

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.’” (Jer. 29:11)

As Evangelicals, we believe this hope for the future includes safe and healthy air and water for our children to breathe and drink. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has numerous pockets of extremely poor air quality that can dramatically increase the risk of respiratory disease, heart attacks, and strokes in those who live in these areas. These health burdens especially impact the hearts, minds, and lungs of our children.

Governor Shapiro has unveiled a new energy plan including the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction (PACER) Program and the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) that have the potential to help ensure this brighter future for our communities and children. In order to defend our children’s health, remain an energy leader, and strengthen our economy, we must act now.

Weather patterns in Pennsylvania are changing, resulting in stronger storms that wash out and damage the land and soil of our floodplains. The steadily rising average temperatures from year to year means shorter winters and more storms, putting more people, homes, and businesses at greater risk. Rising temperatures also have health impacts, such as the increase in vector-borne diseases like Lyme Disease. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions and making Pennsylvania a clean energy leader is critical to giving our children the healthy future they deserve.

Join us in telling lawmakers about the benefits of PACER and PRESS for Pennsylvania today!

Speak Out for Pennsylvania Schools

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 04:00:00 GMT

Pennsylvania currently has the opportunity to defend children’s health through the proposed Solar for Schools Grant Program (House Bill 1032). This program would fund solar energy assessments and help pay for installation and equipment for solar energy systems for schools throughout our commonwealth. As evangelicals, defending children’s health is not just an ethical calling, but a biblical one. As such, we are excited about this opportunity to bring clean, safe energy to children in Pennsylvania.

The Solar for Schools Program opens up new doors for school districts to reap the benefits of solar who may not ordinarily be able to do so because of the upfront financial investment. The bill would encourage private investment and the creation of local jobs through the entire solar supply chain, providing family-sustaining careers including installers, contractors, investors, and site preparation. Most of all, this bill would increase the amount of clean, pollution-free energy coming onto the grid.

Pennsylvania has historically been an energy leader, but we’re falling behind other states in the necessary transition to renewable and zero-carbon energy. Solar for Schools would help us reap the economic benefits of solar for school districts while creating energy in ways that minimize the health impact on the hearts, minds, and lungs of our children.

Help Us Plug Dangerous Pipeline Leaks!

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Analysis shows that U.S. natural gas pipelines leak as much as 2.7 million tons of methane into our atmosphere each year. That’s the same impact as roughly 50 million passenger cars! Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is roughly 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Methane fuels extreme weather across the country by immediately trapping heat in the atmosphere and is associated with many adverse health impacts on the hearts, minds, and lungs of our children.

As evangelicals, we have a special calling to defend the life of the vulnerable, including our children. Fortunately, methane leaks are a problem we can fix, and cutting these emissions is the best, most cost-effective way to slow the rate of climate change happening now while defending children’s health. That’s why the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) proposal that will help find and fix more methane leaks is essential — but it’s well behind schedule!

Send your message below and tell the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and President Biden to finalize the Advanced Leak Detection & Repair Rule this summer to defend the health of our communities and work toward a safe climate.

Call for Strong Methane Standards in Pennsylvania

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Last December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized strong safeguards on wasteful and dangerous methane pollution that will significantly cut climate-warming emissions and associated air toxics that harm the health of Pennsylvania’s children. Now, the state of Pennsylvania must create a strong State Implementation Plan (SIP) ready for review by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review by late summer to deliver the benefits of these new safeguards to Pennsylvania without delay.

More than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians–including over 300,000 children–live, work, and attend school within a half mile health threat radius of active oil and gas production operations. Medical research is clear: stronger methane safeguards are critical for defending children’s health and ensuring a safer climate future. Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere and is responsible for 25% of the human-produced warming we experience today.

We need a strong plan to ensure the EPA’s new methane standards improve the health and lives of every Pennsylvanian. Join us in letting Governor Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection know that our health and climate can’t wait!

Speak Out for Strong Methane Safeguards in Ohio

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 05:00:00 GMT

Last December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized strong safeguards on wasteful and dangerous methane pollution that will significantly cut climate-warming emissions and associated air toxics that harm the health of Ohio’s children. Now, the state of Ohio must create a strong State Implementation Plan (SIP) ready for review by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review by late summer to deliver the benefits of these new safeguards to our state without delay.

More than 3.3 million Ohioans–including over 700,000 children–live, work, and attend school within a half mile health threat radius of active oil and gas production operations (the second highest of any state). Medical research is clear: stronger methane safeguards are critical for defending children’s health and ensuring a safer climate future. Methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere and is responsible for 25% of the human-produced warming we experience today.

We need a strong plan to ensure the EPA’s new methane standards improve the health and lives of every Ohioan. Join us in letting Governor DeWine, the Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources know that our health and climate can’t wait!

Lift Your Voice to Support Our Farmers

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 04:00:00 GMT

Over the past year, EEN has spoken with farmers across the country to hear directly from them about their needs for the federal Farm Bill. Time and again, we heard how conservation programs are helping our farmers. They’re making family farms more resilient to extreme weather and are defending America's food security. Due to high demand and lack of funding, many farmers are unfortunately turned away from these programs. It is clear we need broader access to conservation programs and other incentives for more sustainable farming.

In 2022, Congress passed nearly $20 billion in funding to help more farmers, ranchers, and foresters engage in conservation practices, reversing some of the system’s deep backlog of needs. The farming community has already been taking advantage of these new conservation incentives and is witnessing their benefits, including reduced input costs, improved soil health and water quality, greater resilience to flood and drought, and less reliance on the emergency safety net. Our farmers need a conservation-forward Farm Bill now, not cuts to these vital programs.

Join us in lifting your voice to support American farmers by sending a message to lawmakers about the benefits of a climate-smart, conservation-forward Farm Bill for the health and wellbeing of our children, food systems, farmers, and God’s creation.