Here in New York, police arrested 10 climate campaigners Thursday as they held a peaceful sit-in protest inside the Manhattan offices of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The activists are demanding Schumer and other Democratic leaders reverse fossil fuel-friendly concessions in the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. One provision, added to win the support of West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, fast-tracks approval of the Mountain Valley fracked gas pipeline. Another side deal limits public input on major new infrastructure projects while weakening environmental review procedures. This is activist GiGi Nieson of the group No North Brooklyn Pipeline.

GiGi Nieson: “Making side deals to advance your political agenda with Joe Manchin, who takes more fossil fuel money than any member of Congress, it’s undemocratic, unjust and racist, because it will take public voices out of the decision-making process, especially those from Black, Indigenous and people of color communities.”