Jewish Earth Alliance Network Briefing with Grace Smith of the EDF: February 20, 2024

Celebrating Lobby Day and Less Methane Pollution!

We took some time to bask in the success of our Tu Bishvat Lobby Day, when over 300 Jews met with 38 Senate offices to lobby on pro-climate legislation.

Then our featured speaker, Grace Smith, explained exciting new federal legislation that gives oil and gas companies an extra incentive to reduce methane emissions: the Waste Emissions Charge (WEC), a fee they must pay per ton of methane they waste. Laws like the WEC will help reduce methane pollution, which is the fastest, most cost-effective way to immediately slow our current rate of global warming. Grace is an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund's U.S. Legal & Regulatory Team, and specializes in reducing pollution from the oil, gas and other sectors.

Our meeting opened with inspiring words of Torah from Adam Weisburg, Executive Director of Urban Adamah, and concluded with contacting the EPA in support of the WEC.