Dear President Biden – Sincerely, Youth v. Oil

Jaidacyn Madrigal
December 2, 2024
1:06 pm

This is a letter written by Youth v. Oil and signed on by our allies.

Dear President Biden, Senator Padilla, and Senator Butler,

We need YOU to protect our fundamental rights and our futures by enacting climate protections before the inauguration and beginning of the new legislative session. We are a youth-led campaign of dozens of high schoolers from across San Diego County under climate action non-profit SanDiego350 called Youth v. Oil working to end reliance on fossil fuels and promote a just, rapid transition to renewable energy.

From setting a timeline to cut emissions by 2030 to passing the climate-smart Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration and US Congress has developed an ambitious environmental platform. We present you with a list of four protections that should be enacted by this administration and in this congressional session to make the biggest difference in combating Trump’s anti-climate agenda.

We ask you to:

1. Protect the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and push out all its possible funds
  1. - Fight to preserve tax credits for buyers of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and rooftop solar
      1. These have bipartisan support and continuously benefit the working class, yet the Trump administration plans to rescind funding from these vital programs
  1. - Authorize offshore wind projects – before Trump has the chance to overturn them
  1. - Authorize climate grants – ¾ of the IRA’s allocated funds for these have been spent, so let’s go all out for the final quarter!
  1. - Finalize proposed regulations, such as tax credits for those who invest in renewable energy technologies. Once established, there is little the upcoming president can do to stop them.

1. Protect vulnerable areas from drilling
  1. - Issue executive orders against LNG pipelines, including Line 5, the Dakota Access Pipeline, those in Alaska/Keystone, and Line 3.
  1. - Protect public, natural, and offshore lands from drilling leases, including the arctic and anywhere people reside.
      1. Direct the Department of Interior to withdraw ocean territory from fossil fuel development, as you have already done for the Beaufort Sea.
  1. - With an oil CEO set to lead the energy department, the climate movement could easily be set back years. These next few weeks, give it your all – let’s win the fight to both curb greenhouse gas emissions and protect America’s beautiful habitats.

1. Protect California waivers for regulating vehicles
  1. - The Clean Air Act allows the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to enforce its own, stricter standards on new engines and vehicles upon receiving waivers from the U.S. EPA
      1. This includes a zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate for sales by 2035, alongside Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation and Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) programs
      1. The previous Trump administration initially failed to grant a waiver, but was then forced to by the US Court of Appeals.
      1. As Californians, our communities benefit greatly from this reduced pollution and emissions. Additionally, 17 states follow California’s standards, extending these benefits nationwide.
  1. - The Biden administration must expedite approval of the eight pending waiver requests from CARB, including those which permit California’s ambitious plan to end sales of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035.

1. Fill all judicial vacancies and confirm judicial nominees
  1. - We know Trump will fill any judicial vacancies with conservative loyalists; it is up to your administration to nominate impartial judges who will protect civil liberties and enforce environmental regulation.
  1. - Senators must expedite confirmation of these appointments.