350 Wenatchee Climate Conversations NCW

But despite repeated calls to make sure peoples’ water isn’t shut off during a crisis where washing hands literally saves lives, these protections were not included in the final package.

But, they’re already working on drafting the next package, so the time is now to tell your members of Congress: don’t let companies shut off utilities during this crisis! And when you do, make sure you tell them your own story and personalize your message to them!

Compounding this crisis is that industry is lobbying Congress hard against these protections. Despite record numbers of people now being unemployed and tens of thousands of people getting sick, they still think it’s a good time to squeeze people who are having a hard time paying their bills.

Let’s be clear: everyone should have access to clean water, electricity, heat, broadband and other utilities that are necessary for a basic quality of life. And while utility shut-offs were a problem for many communities prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has– like so many of our other problems– magnified exactly what is wrong.

We can start to make this right. Tell Congress no utility shut-offs for the length of the COVID-19 crisis and to fully fund programs that help people pay their bills so no one is in debt coming out of this crisis.

We’ve put a temporary stop to foreclosures and evictions. We put collection of student loans on hold. We’ve bailed out businesses large and small. Many governors are using their authority to put in place local prohibitions against utility shut-offs, but it isn’t enough and too many states remain unprotected.

It’s time to make sure everyone has their basic needs met.

Tell your member of Congress to stop utility shut-offs.

Thanks for everything you do, especially during this crisis,

Liz Perera
Climate Policy Director
Sierra Club

References

1- “House passes $484B coronavirus relief package” The Hill, April 23, 2020