I’m reaching out to you because I want to pass along a fantastic opportunity for your local group to act in solidarity with the grassroots organizing happening in Washington against Puget Sound Energy (PSE). As you may know, PSE is a privately-owned for-profit company that has consistently proven to be a bad actor here in the State of Washington.
The Power Past Fracked Gas coalition, along with organizers around the state who are fighting to hold PSE accountable, are planning a social media storm of PSE on Thursday, September 10th, and they are inviting 350 Washington local groups to join in on the action by saying #FrackOffPSE!
You are invited to use this toolkit on your local group’s social media accounts on September 10th to amplify the powerful work going on across our state to call out this racist, climate-destroying, health-wrecking fossil fuel company.
Here are some of the reasons why!
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Check out this article in The Guardian about how PSE has undermined climate organizing in our state
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Even if PSE is not a bad actor in your particular region, they are a powerful statewide foe that continues to work against the people-powered climate organizing efforts underway in every single community that is impacted by their dirty practices.
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PSE’s Tacoma LNG project is a direct affront to the Puyallup Tribe, putting their treaty rights and community at risk first and worst. The Puyallup Tribe has not been consulted throughout the permitting process for this facility, and is in staunch opposition to it being built on their land.
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From 2016 to 2018, PSE spent over $1,742,000 on lobbyists in Olympia. That’s almost $400,000 more than Amazon spent on lobbying during the same period. And that’s just lobbying.
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Between 2008 and 2018, PSE gave $665,598 to candidates across Washington.
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Over the last 10 years, according to Sightline, PSE’s total political spending in Washington looks more like $7 million (compared to $2 million from Amazon). That money is donated to candidates, spent on lobbying, and used to fund special interest PACs like the one it’s supporting this year in Seattle.
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In PSE’s latest stunt, they are attempting to target children with coloring pages for “Natural Gas Town,” and with a racist mascot named Don Fuego.
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PSE is part of Partnership for Energy Progress, a greenwashing group made up of gas industry representatives. This is a $1 million public relations campaign to fight any initiatives that curb fossil fuel use. “The gas companies are forming a coalition of unions, businesses and consumer groups to tout the benefits of natural gas and to help “prevent or defeat” initiatives that inhibit its use, according to internal industry documents obtained by The Seattle Times. They’re calling the coalition “Partners for Energy Progress.”
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Whether you’re in Tacoma, or Bellingham, or Olympia, this group will actively oppose your organizing efforts towards curbing fossil fuel use, such as building electrification.
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Every study on how to meet our climate goals requires phasing out fracked gas – from our homes, schools, businesses and electricity system. PSE is slowing our transition, risking our lives, economy and future in the Northwest.