Statement from Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert on U.S. Supreme Court Decision West Virginia v. EPA

Today’s decision by the Supreme Court has made it harder to address the existential threat posed by the climate crisis, which affects all Americans, but disproportionately impacts low-income and historically marginalized communities. It’s clear from our early reading of today’s opinion that the Court has restricted the executive branch’s ability to protect those who are most affected by climate change and to support communities on the front lines of climate activism. Despite the misguided opinions of this Court, we’re more determined than ever to save our home planet. This is our purpose.

Ryan Gellert, CEO, Patagonia

Letter to Sec. Deb Haaland Regarding Willow Project

June 28, 2022 

The Honorable Deb Haaland, Secretary  

U.S. Department of the Interior  

1849 C Street, NW  

Washington, D.C. 20240  

CC: Brenda Mallory, Council on Environmental Quality Chair; Adrian Saenz, White House Office of Public Engagement; Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor; Ali Zaidi, Deputy White House National Climate Advisor 

Dear Secretary Haaland: 

I am writing to express Patagonia’s strong opposition to the Willow Master Development Project in America’s Western Arctic. 

The Willow Project is the largest oil extraction project currently proposed on U.S. federal lands. This unnecessary production would cause devastating, long-term destruction to the health of the planet and the Western Arctic ecosystem, which supports caribou, geese, loons, salmon, polar bears and bowhead whales, along with Indigenous communities who rely on these traditional food sources.  

The Willow Project calls for construction of up to five drill pads with up to 50 wells on each pad, a road system, an airstrip, pipelines, a gravel mine and more. Burning the oil produced from this project would release more than 260 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equivalent to the emissions from 66 new coal-fired power plants per year.  

Patagonia respectfully asks the Bureau of Land Management and Biden Administration to require a comprehensive review of the climate and conservation consequences of the Willow Project. Essential to this is ensuring a robust public process that allows time for a diversity and depth of input, especially during busy summer months (and subsistence seasons). We ask that you hold a comment period of 120 days to allow for that input and to ensure permitting decisions are made in accordance with the Administration’s climate and conservation goals.  

Thank you,  

Ryan Gellert 

CEO, Patagonia 

Patagonia supports choice

Caring for employees is the responsibility of business.

Caring for employees extends beyond basic health insurance, so we take a more holistic approach to coverage and support overall wellness to which every human has a right. That means offering employees the dignity of access to reproductive health care. It means supporting employees’ choices around if or when they have a child. It means giving parents the resources they need to work and raise children. 

Patagonia covers the cost of medical insurance for all part-time and full-time employees; we offer the same high-quality health plans to all employees: 

• U.S. employees on our health plans are covered for abortion care. Where restrictions exist, travel, lodging and food are covered.

• 100% of co-pay costs for mental health visits are covered.

We support new parents with:  

• Two types of paid leave: 4 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave and/or 12 weeks of paid parental bonding leave.

• Private spaces to feed infants.

• Child-care support for parents on work trips.

• Subsidized, on-site high-quality child care.

• Child-care stipends for parents who do not live near one of our child-care centers.

All part-time and full-time employees also receive:

• Training and bail for those who peacefully protest for reproductive justice.

• Resources to make informed decisions at the ballot box.

• Time off to vote.

Note: This statement was originally posted on LinkedIn. See the original here.

Earthjustice Letter to Reps. Rush and Upton

Bobby L. Rush, Chairman
House Subcommittee on Energy
House Committee on Energy & Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515  

Fred Upton, Ranking Member
House Subcommittee on Energy
House Committee on Energy & Commerce
2322 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Re: Hydropower Licensing Reform and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Hydropower Facilities

Dear Representatives Rush and Upton:

Thank you for hosting the May 12, 2022 hearing on “Modernizing Hydropower: Licensing and Reforms for a Clean Energy Future,” before the Subcommittee on Energy of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Earthjustice appreciates the Subcommittee’s focus on increasing the role of Tribes and Native groups in hydropower development, and the recognition that hydropower facilities cause significant harms to fish, wildlife, and ecosystems.

Unfortunately, several participants at the hearing incorrectly characterized hydropower as a clean, carbon free resource. This is not the case. A growing body of scientific studies over the past two decades have established that dams and reservoirs produce and emit substantial amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.1 These greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions include reservoir surface emissions, which occur when dams trap organic material and leached synthetic fertilizers that decompose beneath a reservoir’s water. Dam and reservoir operations also emit GHGs from several other emission points, including hydropower turbines, spillways, and downstream discharges.

Some individual facilities emit large amounts of GHGs, at levels equal to or greater than the GHG emissions from equivalent coal- and gas-fired power plants. For example, a scientific study shows that Hoover Dam and Lake Mead emit approximately 12.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually, while Kentucky Lake annually emits over 1.8 million metrics tons of CO2e.2 Moreover, the collective GHG emissions of dams and reservoirs are significant. Notably, a 2020 scientific study co-authored by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researcher estimated that reservoirs in Ohio are the state’s fourth largest anthropogenic source of methane emissions.3

On March 21, 2022, Earthjustice submitted a rulemaking petition to the EPA requesting that the agency add dams and reservoirs to its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program.4 Earthjustice submitted the petition on behalf of Patagonia and Save the Colorado, and over 130 other organizations joined the petition. The petition requests that EPA require dam and reservoir facilities—including hydropower facilities—to report their annual GHG emissions to EPA and the public. This reporting will allow regulators, policymakers, and the public to have access to accurate and timely information on these facilities’ GHG emissions. Requiring dams and reservoirs to report their GHG emissions will also ensure that federal and state agencies and utilities make decisions on the future of the electric sector based on the best available information regarding hydropower’s GHG emissions, and not risk inadvertently pursuing a clean energy future that is not actually clean.

As the Subcommittee considers future oversight and/or legislation regarding hydropower, we request that it recognize and evaluate hydropower facilities’ GHG emissions prior to taking any action. Continuing to disregard this issue would ignore an important factor regarding future hydropower decisions and further exacerbate the climate crisis.

A copy of the rulemaking petition to EPA is attached, and we are happy to provide additional information on this issue.

Sincerely,
Michael Hiatt
Senior Attorney
Earthjustice

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1
See, e.g., Bridget Deemer et al., Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoir Water Surfaces: A New Global Synthesis, 66 BioSci. 949, 949–50, 954–61 (Nov. 2016)

2
Laura Scherer & Stephan Pfister, Hydropower’s Biogenic Carbon Footprint, PLoS ONE (Sept. 14, 2016)

3
Jake Beaulieu et al., Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Reservoirs: Controls and Upscaling, 125 J. Geophysical Rsch. Biogeosciences 1—2, 19 (2020)

4
Petition from Michael Hiatt, Earthjustice, to Michael Regan, Adm’r, EPA (Mar. 21, 2022)

Media Advisory: 'The Monster in Our Closet'

Plastics are essential to building durable, high-performance clothing. But they’re also accelerating the climate crisis, from the fossil fuels used to make materials like polyester to the plastic pollution that piles up once that clothing has been tossed. 

Through the eyes of a lawyer (Maxine Bédat, ED of New Standard Institute), a climate reporter (Kendra Pierre-Louis) and Patagonia designer and product responsibility manager (Pasha Whitmire and Karba), The Monster In Our Closet – a new film from Patagonia Films - uncovers the dangerous threads that connect the clothing industry to the oil and gas industry and what we can all do on the individual, business and government levels to create the change that our planet needs.  

The film looks at the New York Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (A8352/S7428), the first US law to require large fashion companies to map, disclose and make progress on social and environmental targets. While the bill did not make it out of committee in this legislative session, Patagonia has been working with the coalition behind the bill – led by Maxine Bédat – and will continue do so with a goal of not only endorsing it but helping to see it through to final passage. 

To create meaningful change, we need action from individuals, businesses and government: 

• Individuals can buy less and demand more.

• Brands play can role in helping to shift the industry to invest in secondary waste streams, eliminate virgin petroleum sources from products.

• We need the government to step in with legislation and broader regulation, like decreased tariffs for recycled and organic materials, documenting and disclosing supply chains (where clothes are made and who is making them), and incentives for companies who adopt materials from organic or recycled inputs.

We definitely don’t just need corporate marketing campaigns – we need transparency, accountability and action. 

See here to view the film and to learn more about how Patagonia is rethinking plastics in products and the company’s goal to eliminate virgin petroleum from its supply chain.

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Albanian Government and Patagonia Join Forces to Establish Vjosa National Park

Albania takes an important step towards protecting the Vjosa forever as government signs commitment to collaborate on Europe’s first Wild River National Park 

June 13, 2022 - Today, the Albanian government took the historic step of signing a commitment to collaborate with Patagonia on the establishment of a Vjosa Wild River National Park. In Tirana, this morning, Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister for Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro, and Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert joined Albanian and international NGOs from the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign, in a ceremony to mark the public signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties. 

The agreement states that the Albanian government and Patagonia will work together to upgrade the protection level of the basin and the river ecosystem of the Vjosa River and its free-flowing tributaries to the IUCN Category II Level National Park. This is a major step closer to establishing Europe’s first-ever Wild River National Park and safeguarding the last big, wild river of Europe, forever. 

The Vjosa River and its free-flowing tributaries form an ecosystem with substantial biodiversity of national and global significance, and the outstanding scenic values of the valley are the result of undisturbed natural processes. The ecosystem is host to more than 1,100 species of animals, including 13 globally threatened animal and two plant species. These ecological and cultural values provide great opportunities for eco-tourism and other economic benefits to the people in the region. 

The Memorandum of Understanding between The Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania and Patagonia includes the agreements: 

• Parties will work to increase the protection level of Vjosa River to the level of IUCN Category II: National Park.

• The National Park shall include the Vjosa river and its free-flowing tributaries.

• Within 45 days of signing this MoU, the Parties shall establish a Working Group, headed by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.

• The Working Group will deliver a complete proposal for the National Park to the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, that includes, among other things, the zoning and boundaries of the National Park, stakeholder consultation, and eco-tourism opportunities. 

Prime Minister Edi Rama says: “Albania’s Vjosa is nature’s unrelenting force, the only survivor of the wild rivers of our continent, the last river vein that bears no trace of contamination from the industrial development that has morphed Europe’s rivers into animals tamed for the energy-generation circus. 

“Vjosa will remain the only wild water body that, just like on the day of its creation, will continue to bear witness to the wonder that once were the European riverbeds. Under the protective cloak of the National Park, Vjosa will stay intact for Albania, for Europe, for the planet we want for our children’s children.”

Minister for Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro says: “In Albanian, Vjosa is both a river and a woman’s name. Indeed, Vjosa is the most perfect metaphor for Albanian nature - with its pearl-white stones that captivate the eye, the pebble islets with burgeoning wildflowers that speak in the language of the creatures populating this corner of Albania. It is a river that runs on a bed as old as the world, its meanders opening the doors to the frontier with the Greek neighbour, then flowing into the Adriatic Sea. 

“But Vjosa is also a symbol of the human history of an important part of Albania, where the woman who nurtures the heart and hearth is the queen of the house, just like Vjosa is the ‘wild queen’ of European rivers. It defends its throne with a beautiful vigour, its tresses resembling those of the women of Permet, Gjirokastra, Tepelena, Mallakastra, Vlora, Fier, Memaliaj, Kelcyra, with the colours and shades of the sun-kissed skin of the girls of Selenica, where Shushica runs, and even those of Libohova, where Drino flows. This inseparable marriage of Nature and Man is our new project for a sustainable development of Vjosa National Park.”

Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert says: “Albania’s leaders have shown vision and commitment today, signaling to the world their intention to do something unprecedented in nature protection. Through our long-standing partnership with the NGOs behind the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign, we have learned first-hand just how exceptional the Vjosa is and are therefore humbled to work alongside the government and groups, devoting our skills and expertise to the establishment of Vjosa Wild River National Park.”  

The environmental NGOs, businesses, local communities and others are committed to supporting the long-term aim of establishing the national park and offer their support in planning. With official, actionable steps, this unparalleled biodiversity hotspot will set a precedent for future nature protection in Europe. 

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Note: This is a joint press release by The Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania and Patagonia.

About the Vjosa River in Albania 

The Vjosa River in Albania is the last big, wild river in Europe, outside of Russia. The river and its tributaries flow freely from the mountains in Greece to the Adriatic coast in Albania. This wilderness area is made up of an enormous mosaic of different habitat types, from the narrow gorges in the upper part, to the wide braided river sections in the middle part, to the near-natural delta at the Adriatic Sea. The middle stretch alone is made up of at least eight habitat types that have the highest conservation importance, at EU level. 

The surrounding watershed provides the villages with fertile land for agricultural activities such as crop production and livestock farming. The abundance and diversity of fish is vital for the well-being of local fishermen mostly in the lower part of the Vjosa. Eco-tourism on the Vjosa and its tributaries is ever-increasing, particularly in recent years in which enthusiasts have started to enjoy activities such as rafting, canoeing, kayaking and swimming.

About Patagonia 

Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is based in Ventura, California. A certified B Corp, Patagonia is in business to save our home planet. The company is recognized internationally for its commitment to authentic product quality and environmental activism, contributing nearly $145 million in grants and in-kind donations to date. 

Our Response to News That Outdoor Retailer is Heading Back to Utah

Should Utah’s politicians abandon their legal threats seeking once again to roll back protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments, Patagonia is glad to return to Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City,” said Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert. “We are disappointed the owners of Outdoor Retailer are blatantly ignoring the Indigenous Peoples, local activists and outdoor athletes who spent years working to conserve and protect wild lands in Utah by moving the show back to Salt Lake City. Until we hear a firm commitment to protect our national monuments, we remain steadfast in our position and won’t return to the trade show in Utah.

Statement on Voting Rights from Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert

Updated: January 18, 2022

The right to vote is a priority for Patagonia because it creates the foundation for progress on everything we care about. Thriving communities and the fate of our planet rely on electing leaders who share our sense of urgency. And that relies on every eligible voter having equal access to the ballot.    

In 2020, nearly two-thirds of eligible voters cast a ballot in the general election. Patagonia was proud to play a role in that success through the nonpartisan initiative we co-founded called Time to Vote, which resulted in nearly 2,000 CEOs coming together to provide resources for American workers to vote. We also recruited and placed poll workers and gave paid time off to our employees to volunteer and vote. Last spring, we donated $1 million to groups working to protect and advance voting rights. Regardless of party affiliation, we sent a clear message to our employees that voting was important, and we were making time for them to participate in our democratic system. 

After the 2020 election, Democratic and Republican officials from every state confirmed (several times over in some states), there was no widespread fraud. And yet, in 2021, at least 19 states passed 34 laws restricting access to voting and more than 440 bills with provisions restricting voting access were introduced in 49 states. Regardless of the motivations of those championing this legislation, the impact will be felt most by people of color, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities. 

I am calling on the business community to join us in urging the Senate to pass the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act. This federal bill will help ensure election integrity and that you and your neighbor have equitable access to the ballot box. 

 The fate of our democracy, and ultimately, the planet is at stake. 

 To join us in urging the Senate to act, please call, email or tweet your senators.  

Patagonia Wins Award from U.S. State Department

The company won the Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence in the Climate Innovation category for its commitment to nature and the planet  

Patagonia Inc. today won the Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) from the U.S. Department of State for Climate Innovation because of the company’s work in Argentina to protect nature and advance climate solutions.

The Department of State gives three annual Secretary of State awards to U.S. companies doing business in other countries, recognizing those that show leadership in their foreign operations and whose operating practices and decision-making exemplify American values and international best practices. Patagonia Inc., an outdoor apparel brand based in Ventura, CA, has worked to conserve land and water in its namesake region of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile through its support of Tompkins Conservation, led by former Patagonia CEO and current board member Kristine Tompkins.

“Congratulations to Patagonia for winning the Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence for its commitment to protecting nature and advancing innovative solutions to combat climate change,” said MaryKay Carlson, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. “Patagonia demonstrates exemplary leadership through its work to protect land and sea in Argentina while also reducing carbon emissions and its own energy footprint.  Patagonia’s work makes a difference to local communities and helps create a better environment for the next generation.”  

Patagonia was instrumental in a campaign that resulted in the provincial government of Tierra del Fuego banning salmon farming, which would have contaminated the pristine waters of the Beagle Channel.

Through it’s NetPlus product innovation, Patagonia has partnered with Bureo (a 2016 ACE winner) to transform discarded fishing nets recovered from Argentina into hat brims, reducing the need for virgin plastic and paving the way for other companies to use recycled plastic sourced from a traceable supply chain. And Patagonia’s Worn Wear program is changing consumption habits — repairing more than 130,000 garments, reducing waste and revolutionizing the apparel industry by making the used clothing market mainstream.

"We have rejected old ways of thinking and learned how to build a successful business that contributes to the future in a positive way,” said Alex Perry, Patagonia’s Director of Latin America. “We’re humbled by this global recognition and we will continue working toward Patagonia’s reason for being, which is to save our home planet. We could never do this without the grassroots environmentalists we partner with in Argentina and around the world.”

Founded in 1973, Patagonia is a Certified B Corporation and is recognized internationally for its commitment to product quality and environmental activism. Patagonia has contributed more than $145 million in grants and in-kind donations to date. Patagonia Argentina, a subsidiary operation of Patagonia Inc., was incorporated in Argentina in 2005.

Patagonia Calls for Moratorium on Seabed Mining

Below is a press release that was originally shared by the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.

DSCC AND WWF JOINT PRESS RELEASE

Volkswagen Group, Triodos Bank, Scania, and Patagonia today joined growing calls for a moratorium on the emerging deep-sea mining industry.

The world’s second-biggest car manufacturer, a leading ethical bank, a major commercial vehicle manufacturer, and sustainable outdoor clothing company have joined other major companies BMW Group, Volvo Group, Samsung SDI, Google, and Philips in pledging to keep minerals sourced from the deep sea out of their products.

In addition to putting the brakes on the rush to mine the deep sea, the statement signed by the companies also highlights the need to explore alternatives as a matter of urgency; reduce the demand for primary metals; develop responsible terrestrial mining practices, and transition to a closed-loop materials economy.  

 “Volkswagen is continuously working on sustainable mobility solutions for future generations. This includes high standards for responsibly shaped raw material supply chains. Seabed mining poses severe environmental risks that we take very seriously and that drives us to support the call for a moratorium.”

Dr. Frauke Eßer, Head of Global Supplier Risk and Sustainability Management, Volkswagen Group Purchasing:

“The deep ocean is the largest carbon sink on our planet and a vital natural solution to climate change. We need to do everything in our power to protect rather than destroy this phenomenal ally. It is powerful to see leading companies recognise and take action on this.” – Jessica Battle, WWF No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative Leader.

“Triodos Bank’s mission is to make money work for positive social, environmental, and cultural change. In this time of unprecedented crisis relating to our natural world, Triodos Bank believes it is very important to implement a mortarium on deep-sea mining. There is no place for an industry that risks compromising the services to our planet that the deep ocean provides.”

Iris Lether, Investment Strategist, Triodos Investment Management, a subsidiary of Triodos Bank.

“Humans need to continue rapidly transitioning to renewable energy sources, but in a responsible manner. No matter what reasons we hear for mining the bottom of the ocean, we need to recognize that it would create grave ecological threats and risks disturbing carbon locked away in the deep, with limited opportunities for proper oversight. In our pursuit of renewable energy, we need to ensure that any essential mining is done in the most ecologically responsible way, which means no deep-sea mining. We cannot allow extractive industries to keep raiding our land and water for financial gain, and we need to move away from the model of capitalism that necessitates endless growth at the expense of the planet.” 

Hans Cole, Head of Environmental Activism, Patagonia.

“It is fantastic to see Volkswagen Group, Triodos Bank, Scania, and Patagonia supporting ocean health for future generations by taking action on deep-sea mining and committing to keeping minerals from the ocean floor out of their products. We hope this will inspire more companies to take up the baton and defend this vital life-sustaining ecosystem by saying ‘no’ to deep-sea mining.” – Farah Obaidullah, Global Campaigner with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.

The nascent deep-sea mining industry seeks to strip-mine materials 4-6 kilometres below the surface of the ocean, starting in the Pacific Ocean. The prospective mining companies argue the minerals are needed for new batteries, but breakthroughs in battery technology are evolving without them. The giga-scale Swedish battery manufacturer, Northvolt, for example, announced earlier this month that it has produced the first-ever lithium-ion battery cell with 100% recycled nickel, manganese, and cobalt. 

The growing call from companies to safeguard the health of the deep ocean comes as scientists and policy experts continue to warn of the risks associated with deep-sea mining. More than 600 marine science & policy experts from over 44 countries have also called for a pause on the nascent industry, warning of a “loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning that would be irreversible on multi-generational timescales” and “uncertain impacts on carbon sequestration dynamics and deep-ocean carbon storage.” Earlier this year the influential IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille also passed a resolution with overwhelming support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.

Farah Obaidullah continues, “As we look beyond COP26 and ramp up our efforts to tackle the climate crisis, we need to recognize the deep sea and the critical role this environment plays in locking away carbon. We cannot afford to open up a new frontier of industrial resource extraction in an environment that stands between us and the worst impacts of climate breakdown.”

Patagonia Closing North American Stores, Warehouse and Offices for Last Week of 2021

At Patagonia, we do our best to not be bound by convention and to look out for people and the planet. For the last week of this year, we are shutting down our stores, warehouse and offices in the United States and Canada because our people need a break. Patagonia.com will remain open. 

More information is available here.

We hope you too have a restful and fun break this holiday season.  

Patagonia Joins Human Rights Campaign Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ+ State Legislation

We want our colleagues and customers to feel safe and welcome to show up as their authentic selves. That’s why Patagonia has signed onto the Human Rights Campaign’s business statement on anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation. There are deeply concerning laws being pursued and enacted in state houses across the U.S. singling out LGBTQ+ people — many targeting transgender youth. We strongly believe that everyone should enjoy sports and the outdoors as their most authentic selves without discrimination. Congress must pass the Equality Act to guarantee federal protections for all LGBTQ+ people.

Ventura Residents Demand Newsom and EPA Stop SoCalGas

Ventura, CA – Ventura residents are appealing to Governor Gavin Newsom and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to prevent SoCalGas from expanding a natural gas compressor that’s footsteps away from an elementary school and Boys & Girls Club.

A coalition of community members, nonprofit organizations, and businesses — known collectively as the Westside Clean Air Coalition — are concerned about the environmental impacts of SoCalGas’ proposal to expand the Ventura Compressor Station, a natural gas compressor station at 1555 N. Olive St. in Ventura, CA. The site is directly across from the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura’s Robert Addison Center and the E.P. Foster Elementary School, and less than a block away from the West Ventura neighborhood — home to approximately 13,000 people.  

The proposed gas expansion project raises significant environmental justice issues for the residents of Ventura. The smell of fumes is a regular occurrence in the West Ventura neighborhood. Compressors and pipelines are prone to ruptures, leaks and explosions. This site is a prime example of why oil and gas infrastructure should be included in Governor Newsom’s draft 3,200-foot setback rule which currently only applies to oil and gas drill sites. 

Ventura residents have sent more than 280 emails and held three rallies in opposition to the project. Yet the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District has thus far refused to review the environmental impacts on the surrounding community under the California Environmental Quality Act.

In a letter sent to the Governor’s office, the coalition urges Newsom to remind the Air District as well as the California Public Utilities Commission of their responsibility and authority to intervene, requiring an Environmental Impact Report before any further work can be performed on the compressor expansion.

In a similar letter, the coalition is asking EPA Administrator Regan to demand relevant permitting agencies conduct robust health and environmental assessments.

“Governor Newsom has taken promising steps to protect communities on the frontlines of fossil fuel drilling, but he must break his silence on the equally catastrophic impacts of fossil fuel infrastructure on nearby neighborhoods,” said Tomás Rebecchi, Food & Water Watch Senior Central Coast Organizer. “We appeal to him now to follow through on his commitment to protect communities facing environmental racism and injustice. The Public Utilities Commission allowed the unnecessary expansion of SoCalGas’ Aliso Canyon facility. We cannot allow the unnecessary expansion of its Ventura Compressor.”

“Science draws a clear connection between the planet’s warming and fossil fuel industry activity,” said Shannon Simpson, Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas Executive Director. “Governor Newsom and the Environmental Protection Agency must consider the facts and demand that SoCalGas’ proposed expansion of their Ventura facility be properly reviewed to fully understand its effects on our environment and the densely populated Westside neighborhood. Earth and the frontline community cannot risk experiencing further harm from the greenhouse gas super emitter station.”

“Having this infrastructure here is an environmental injustice to the people who live nearby,” said Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, the Ventura-based outdoor clothing company that is part of the Westside Clean Air Coalition. “Not only is expanding a gas compressor across from an elementary school to pump more fuel through the region dangerous, it’s unnecessary and counter to California’s efforts to find solutions to the environmental crisis.”

Read the letter to Gov Newsom here.

Read the letter to the EPA here.

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Contact: Jessica Gable, (202) 683-2478, jgable@fwwatch.org

Statement on Build Back Better Framework

"The new Build Back Better framework offers significant progress toward getting our communities off fossil fuels, investing in our future through the Civilian Climate Corps and protecting nature — including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge," said Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia. "But we are disappointed that this proposal fails to provide workers with paid leave. At Patagonia, we’ve seen how supporting our employees with paid leave and onsite childcare is essential to maintaining a robust and engaged workforce. Companies should be held accountable for their climate plans and corporate promises. And our elected leaders must demonstrate the courage and leadership needed for the systemic change required to reach our environmental and social justice ambitions."

Statement: Bears Ears National Monument Restoration

For immediate release 

Tomorrow, with the support of Tribal Nations, conservationists, and outdoor enthusiasts, President Biden is expected to restore protections for Bears Ears National Monument, protecting 1.36 million acres of land in southeast Utah. Bears Ears is one of our nation’s most significant cultural, natural landscapes with thousands of sacred sites and resources supporting local Indigenous tribes. It is also an area offering world-class rock climbing and other outdoor recreational opportunities.  

“We want to thank the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition for their leadership and thank all of our friends in the Indigenous and environmental communities who have worked to protect Bears Ears National Monument,” said Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert. “We also want to thank the Biden administration, especially Secretary Haaland, for their work to restore protections for more than a million acres of sacred land. We have a shared responsibility to conserve these important cultural landscapes for future generations.” 

Patagonia started working with our friends in the Indigenous and environmental communities to protect Bears Ears in 2013. As part of our efforts, we released our first-ever television advertisement, a film, a fundraising website, a virtual tour and other initiatives in our stores and online. We celebrated when President Obama designated the area as a national monument in 2016. Then, on December 6, 2017, we joined the sovereign Indigenous nations of the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni, along with several grassroots groups, to sue the Trump administration after Trump drastically reduced the monument’s boundaries. 

If you choose to visit Bears Ears, or any other Indigenous land, please visit with respect. You can read tips here and here. 

Please send any media inquiries to patagoniapress@patagonia.com. 

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Photo by Michael Estrada