David Miller, July 10, 2018
Columbus, Ohio — The following statement can be attributed in full, or in part, to Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director of the Ohio Environmental Council:
“In selecting Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States, President Trump has chosen a reckless judge who would work tirelessly to undo protections to keep our air, land, and water clean and safe.
“We are at a critical stage in the future of the health of our communities, and the sustainability of our planet. Our nation continues to struggle with lead contamination, manure pollution in our lakes, bailouts of the fossil fuel industry on our families’ dime, and fracking & pipeline mishaps — important issues which could soon find their way to Supreme Court. In fact, the first case approved for the next Court term relates to protecting endangered species in the face the property rights of industry.
“Simply put, the High Court is no place for partisan politics or extreme ideologies – especially when environmental health and environmental justice is at stake. Judge Kavanaugh has consistently overturned EPA regulations that protect our air and water, he has dissented against EPA emissions standards relating to mercury and other pollutants from coal and oil-fired power plants, he has ruled that costs to industry polluters should be considered first before environmental protections,1 he has ruled against EPA limits on methane emissions that poison our air,2 and he has argued that Presidents should be shielded from lawsuits from environmentalists over whether oil executives should be writing our nation’s energy policies.3
“I call on Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman to fight to keep Brett Kavanaugh from becoming a Supreme Court Justice. The future health of our children and grandchildren hang in the balance.”
1 White Stallion Energy Ctr., LLC v. EPA.
2 Clean Air Council v. Pruitt
3 Los Angeles Times, 5/9/06