Last Friday’s EPA protest ended with these words of understanding from the EPA officials. The 13 activists who sat in the building for over 4 hours felt like their point had been made loud and clear and left of their own free will, without any legal action.
I posted a live-blog during the event, with the press release and photos as they came in. An EPA official sent me this email over the weekend as a follow up to that blog.
EPA Desk Statement
“Today 13 mountaintop removal protestors spent approximately four hours
in nonviolent obstruction at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC. After
having an opportunity to share their concerns with EPA officials, the
protestors exited the building of their own accord.“EPA respects the concerns around the issue of mountaintop mining and
understands the high emotions felt by many Americans. Under the
leadership of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, the Agency has taken a
number of unprecedented actions within the scope of the law, and in
partnership with other federal agencies to ensure the safety and health
of mining communities. We welcome and seek the voices of all Americans,
and look to them to guide our efforts to protect health and the
environment. We will continue to solicit the input of affected
communities, and engage with the public on this important issue.”
I’m curious to hear folks thoughts on this. Was the protest successful? Is the EPA ‘doing all it can’ to stop the problem of mountaintop removal?
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I don’t think anyone believes that the EPA is doing all it can to stop mountaintop removal. But I do think that this protest was successful in that every time the issue comes up they will consider their memorable visitors and larger public in general. Perhaps they have room on their wall for a framed photo of the 13 sit in activists, reminders are always useful.
“We will continue to solicit the input of affected
communities, and engage with the public on this important issue.”
ha, we are all affected when one community is harmed. environmental justice meets social justice.
re effectiveness, i’m sure that the epa feels they are on your side and u are on theirs and that they are doing the best they can, and that statement was given b/c they probably do feel for what u are doing, but it’s hard to say what’s most effective. the bureaucratic departments do not feel the same political pressure from special interests that politicians do, but they do feel indirect stress from politicians. one senator on the phone lighting a fire under them can really get things moving, or get things obstructed, depending on what they’re trying to do.
the sit-ins themselves are good for bringing attention to something when attention isn’t being paid. like if a politician wants something to go unnoticed–if their constituents find out, they could lose their election and their jobs. the bureaucrat will not lose their job, nothing is at risk for them–unless the bosses higher up are unsatisfied. so, during the bush admin for instance, a typical worker at the epa doing their job properly enforcing the clean water act, might have been witch-hunted and fired, or sent to the alaska office (wherein they simply quit).
departments also get bogged down with minute details, b/c they have to respond to every one. rather than a simple petition w/lots of signatures, lots of public input with many many different individual points that they need to respond to, can block up a decision when public input is solicited. for instance, a permit, or a policy change. the politician on the other hand, has the pile of petitions, each one is a vote from a constituent that hold them accountable for their decisions on the constituents’ behalf.
but, u probably know all that. if the sit-in was to gain more public attention, i can’t say it worked unless big media covered it–which usually doesn’t happen, even when someone is arrested. a celebrity or two might help.
u might try encouraging any anti-mtr champs in the senate or house to “light a fire” under the epa if they can, to reject the permits. or, have them find out if another rep is lighting a fire to get the mtr done, then target them.
about this statement, follow thru and ask politely what specific “unprecedented” actions they took exactly. if they really are good ones, show encouragement for more. as for ms. jackson herself, u can join her fb page and show encouragement for the good stuff, polite disapproval of the bad (a shocked reaction to any bad decisions on their part). since they are on our side, she will probably try to drop hints about how to help out if they need any.
obama is the top of this food chain, but he needs some legislative victories before he’ll slam down administrative decisions. don’t ask don’t tell (totally an administrative decision) is also something he’s hesitating on–he needs to feel the political pressure, but also the positive effect of making the right decisions. like votes, good pr, or money.
Thanks Kenshin for the very thoughtful input. I think you’ve hit a lot of the major points that are either being taken or should be taken in the near future. RAN does a good job campaigning, especially when there is such a strong movement behind the issue, and I hope we can continue to increase the pressure.
Hope to see more of your comments and input on this blog. Do you write anywhere?
sorry i used my blogging handle, it’s just me. i never did start a blog, but i sometimes contribute to progressiveblue. i’d really, really like them there, and i really should get my act together to drop a post on this issue more often. feel free to re-post there anytime.
i had a second read, and i think they are dropping us another hint:
We welcome and seek the voices of all Americans,
and look to them to guide our efforts to protect health and the
environment. We will continue to solicit the input of affected
communities, and engage with the public on this important issue.”
yeah, yada yada yada…but i’ve heard this before. they may be hinting that they want more diverse voices on this issue, and from folks who live in coal country–that is definitely political–it’s big coal worked so hard to flood those local army corps hearings.
adding the voices of racial minorities in the environmental movement is something that ms. jackson (who is african-american) has written about before–it is interesting that obama’s campaign was very diverse, but environmentalists are not so diverse. green for all needs a dc office.
or we can make the green youth movement into the new “soccer moms” that decide elections.
Actually we got buried in media attention–I think we broke the record on this issue.