Dear Member of Congress,

At a time when study after study reveals the urgent need to rapidly move away from fossil fuels and onto 100% renewable energy, we write to express our strong support for the Future Generations Protection Act (Schakowsky, D-IL and Barragán, D-CA).

As we witness increasingly extreme impacts of the climate crisis, the federal government must act to stop the expansion of fossil fuels. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions must be cut nearly in half by 2030. For over 15 years, fracking has delayed a transition to renewable energy and contributed to dangerously accelerating levels of atmospheric methane. Methane traps 86 times more heat over a 20-year period than carbon dioxide, and the rapid growth of fracking in the past decade has led to a surge in methane emissions. Pervasive leaks of methane make fracked gas as dangerous as coal: even if every coal plant were replaced by gas-generated electricity by 2030, emissions would continue to grow through 2050.

Fracking has a devastating impact on public health at the local level. According to the annual compendium of the science on fracking and public health compiled by Concerned Health Professionals of New York and Physicians for Social Responsibility, living near fracking is associated with a variety of negative health outcomes. At least 55 known or possible carcinogens may be released into our air and water during fracking operations. Living near fracking sites adversely affects health and pregnancy, raising risks for preterm birth and low birth weights as well as asthma, skin and sinus conditions, and headaches.

Finally, fracking and related infrastructure projects poison our air and water and destroy our public lands and wildlife. Fracking has been found to directly contaminate groundwater, and fracking wastewater has polluted countless rivers and streams. This wastewater has also threatened food supplies in places where farming and fracking overlap.

Stopping the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure means we can create new, green jobs and a healthier future for all. New fracking and fossil fuel infrastructure consume resources that could be used to ensure a just transition and support workers in green jobs. It is a critical responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure a fair and just transition for workers and communities. The Federal Government should do this by prioritizing racial and gender equity, environmental justice, and partnering with labor unions to ensure that workers have training for and access to clean-energy jobs.

Specifically, the Future Generations Protection Act would:

-- Institute a national fracking ban beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
-- Prohibit greenhouse gas emissions from new electric steam generation units.
-- Prohibit Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from approving new Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal siting or construction unless construction would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
-- Ban exports of crude oil, natural gas, and LNG, with a limited exception for crude oil.

The climate emergency presents an existential threat to all people on this planet, and time is running out. The Future Generations Protection Act is a critical piece of legislation that will protect millions of Americans from the dangers of fracking, and will help to finally end our dependence on fossil fuels. We urge you to co-sponsor this important legislation and publicly and forcefully advocate for its passage.