Resolution Number: | 2015-C013 |
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Title: | Oppose Environmental Racism |
Legislative Action Taken: | Concurred as Amended |
Final Text: |
Resolved, That the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church recommit to oppose environmental racism, expressed in such ways as the locating of extraction, production, and disposal industries where they disproportionately harm neighborhoods inhabited by people of color and low income communities.
Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Salt Lake City, 2015 (New York: General Convention, 2015), pp. 731-732. |
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Legislative History
Author: | Diocese of California |
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Originating House: | House of Bishops |
Originating Committee: | Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation |
House of Bishops
The House of Bishops Committee on Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation presented its Report #3 on Resolution C013 (Facilitate Dialogue on Climate Change and Divestment Strategy) and moved adoption with amendment.
Original Text of Resolution:
(C013)
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church welcome the release of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed carbon rule for existing power plants (Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, 79 Fed.Reg. 34829 (proposed June 18, 2014) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. Pt. 60)); power plants are the single largest source of carbon dioxide pollution in the United States and major contributors to climate change; these emissions not only threaten the environmental stability of our planet, but also the health of young children and their families, disproportionally affecting the poorest among us and all of God's good Creation; and be it further
Resolved, That the Church recommit to Oppose Environmental Racism; coal, gas, oil, and uranium extraction and subsequent transportation threaten the health, sanctity of communities, and the livelihood of future generations; we seek to eliminate the practice of locating such industries disproportionately near neighborhoods inhabited by people of color and low income communities; and be it further
Resolved, That there continue to be diverse opinions and voices concerning whether the Church should divest its holdings in fossil fuel extraction companies as well as those that use substantial amounts of such fuels; it is important that we as a Church have extensive conversations on this critical issue; we ask that the Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility of the Executive Council and the Church Pension Fund, in consultation with experts in the fields of economics and investing, ethics, renewable energy development, jointly assess whether the benefit of a divestment strategy would be in compliance with our values and issue a report thereon by the Summer of 2016 and we call on upon the Executive Council to facilitate church-wide dialogue on this subject following the issuance of this report and communicate the results of the dialogue to the 79th General Convention.
Committee Amendment:
Resolved, the House of Deputies
concurring, That the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church welcome
the release of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed carbon rule for
existing power plants (Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing
Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, 79 Fed.Reg. 34829
(proposed June 18, 2014) (to be codified at 40 C.F.R. Pt. 60)); power plants
are the single largest source of carbon dioxide pollution in the United States
and major contributors to climate change; these emissions not only threaten the
environmental stability of our planet, but also the health of young children
and their families, disproportionally affecting the poorest among us and all of
God's good Creation; and be it further
Resolved, Thatthe House of
Deputies concurring, that the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal
Church the Church recommit to Oppose Environmental
Racismoppose environmental racism, coal, gas, oil, and
uranium extraction and subsequent transportation threaten the health, sanctity
of communities, and the livelihood of future generations; we seek to eliminate
the locating of coal and mineral extractive and processing industries
disproportionately near neighborhoods inhabited by people of color and low
income communities; and be it furtherexpressed in such ways as the
locating of extraction, production, and disposal industries where they
disproportionately harm neighborhoods inhabited by people of color and low
income communities.
Resolved, That because there continue to be
diverse opinions and voices concerning whether the Church should divest its
holdings in fossil fuel extraction companies as well as those that use
substantial amounts of such fuels, it is important that we as a Church have
extensive conversations on this critical issue, and we therefore ask that the
Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility of the Executive Council and the
Church Pension Fund, in consultation with experts in the fields of economics
and investing, ethics, renewable energy development, jointly to assess whether
the benefit of a divestment strategy would be in compliance with our values,
and issue a report thereon by the Summer of 2016; and we call on upon the
Executive Council to facilitate church-wide dialogue on this subject following
the issuance of this report and communicate the results of the dialogue to the
79th General Convention.
Motion carried
Resolution adopted with amendment
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #82)
House of Deputies
The House of Deputies Committee on Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation presented its Report #1 on HB Message #82 on Resolution C013 (Facilitate Dialogue on Climate Change and Divestment Strategy) and moved concurrence.
Motion carried
The House concurred
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #177)
Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, June 30.
Abstract: | The 78th General Convention recommits to opposing environmental racism which is expressed in the location of harmful industries in low income neighborhoods. |
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Notes: | The Committee was discharged of resolution C047 in favor of Resolution 2015-C013. |