Washington, D.C. — In response to the first ever presidential forum on environmental justice in South Carolina, the League of Conservation Voters issued the following statement from Vice President of Government Affairs Sara Chieffo:

“Kudos to the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, ReGenesis, and the many advocacy groups and media partners that put on this unprecedented event. The sheer fact that we’re having a presidential forum on environmental justice is long overdue and an important step in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go. We all have a responsibility to learn from the environmental justice leaders who have been ringing the alarm bells on environmental racism in our country for decades — presidential candidates included.

“Candidates must listen to and learn from the frontline and tribal communities that have been the dumping grounds for the fossil fuel industry and other corporate polluters. These community leaders must be leading the development of  policies that address the legacy of toxic pollution and deliver climate and environmental justice. The Equitable & Just National Climate Platform is a good framework for getting started. Every single presidential candidate has a duty to visit frontline communities and to include environmental justice leaders at the center of their campaigns and their administrations. That is essential to just and equitable climate action.”

# # #