Kavanaugh is a Threat to Our Environment and Health

WASHINGTON – The Natural Resources Defense Council will work to defeat the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

NRDC President Rhea Suh made the following statement:

“We don't oppose a Supreme Court nominee lightly: we haven’t done so in 13 years. In Judge Kavanaugh's case, we must make an exception, because his record suggests he'd be exceptionally bad for our environment and health. That's something we cannot accept. We'll fight this nomination and work to defeat it.

“We depend, all of us, on effective enforcement of foundational laws to prevent toxic pollution and industrial harm. Our courts often get the final say in the kind of world we leave to our children.

“Getting that right means ensuring our citizens have access to the courts and a shot at fairness and justice. And it means respecting Congressional direction to federal agencies to implement and enforce the law, even in the face of opposition from industrial polluters and other special interests.

“Those are the pillars of environmental defense, the standards by which we review the record and assess the fitness of a judicial nominee. Judge Kavanaugh fails the test on every count.

“In 12 years on the federal bench, he's shown a clear and consistent bias in favor of corporate polluters at the expense of our people. His rulings have challenged citizen access to the courts and undermined environmental and health protections Congress empowered federal agencies to enforce.

“For additional clarity on Judge Kavanaugh’s approach to these and other key environmental concerns, the Senate and the public must review the written correspondence he provided as White House staff secretary to President George W. Bush. That correspondence is part of the public record. The public has the right to see it, the Senate has an obligation to demand it and it should be released immediately.

“It’s possible the next Supreme Court justice will still be on the bench when today’s young adults near retirement. We owe them and their kids a livable world. We can’t let Judge Kavanaugh put their world at risk. This is a fight we can win. It’s a fight we have to win.”

For more see this blog by Rhea Suh: https://medium.com/natural-resources-defense-council/the-environmental-stakes-are-high-in-choosing-the-next-supreme-court-justice-37e84a2d0781

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.