New Web site Helps Folks Have A Voice In Power Choices That Have an effect on Their Lives & Communities

Washington, D.C. — Environmental Protection Fund and Blacks in Inexperienced have launched a brand new web site that may assist individuals across the nation become involved in selections about vitality for his or her communities.

The web site, Group Voices in Power, offers individuals instruments to take part in vitality determination making to allow them to shield their well being, atmosphere and cash. These instruments work with different planks of the companions’ Marketing campaign To Finish Power Poverty, which is designed to assist make vitality extra inexpensive for all. The American normal is that mild and warmth value about six % of family revenue, however some low-income and frontline communities pay 20 % or extra.

“Everybody ought to have a voice in creating our clear vitality future and financial participation in the advantages. For that to occur, they want the power to assist form selections in regards to the vitality techniques they depend on,” mentioned Naomi Davis, founder and CEO of Blacks in Inexperienced and organizer of the marketing campaign. “Our web site is designed to assist demystify the processes utilized by public utilities commissions and provides individuals the instruments they should overcome participation hurdles.”

The vitality sector is among the largest sources of local weather air pollution within the U.S., but few individuals know how you can become involved and affect the selections public utility regulators make to manipulate gasoline and electrical corporations.

Low-income and frontline communities typically face extra penalties from vitality selections than anybody else. Communities situated close to polluting energy vegetation undergo from larger than common charges bronchial asthma and different lung ailments, decrease property values, and worse air high quality. On the similar time, utilities have traditionally invested extra in wealthier neighborhoods — so low-income communities can face extra blackouts, slower repairs and fewer dependable service even whereas paying excessive and rising vitality charges.

Group Voices in Power gives sources to assist individuals study vitality points of their space, a toolkit to assist them become involved, and coaching to assist them present professional testimony that brings neighborhood pursuits into public utility hearings.

“A extra simply and equitable vitality system is inside attain, mentioned Christie Hicks, EDF Senior Director for Equitable Regulatory Options. “When extra individuals become involved within the course of, it is going to change the knowledge that regulators have — and that may change the best way large selections about vitality are made. We hope this web site will assist utility regulators make rulings that result in a extra equitable, wholesome and inexpensive vitality future for all.”

Discover the web site right here.

One of many world’s main worldwide nonprofit organizations, Environmental Protection Fund (edf.org) creates transformational options to probably the most severe environmental issues. To take action, EDF hyperlinks science, economics, regulation, and progressive private-sector partnerships. With greater than 3 million members and places of work in america, China, Mexico, Indonesia and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys and coverage consultants are working in 28 nations to show our options into motion. Join with us on Twitter @EnvDefenseFund

Courtesy of Environmental Protection Fund & Blacks in Inexperienced.