About the Environmental Justice Program
March 31, 1997
Senate Appropriations Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington DC 20510
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,
the public policy agency of the US Catholic bishops, I write to
urge you to support higher FY 1998 funding levels for several
key programs now before the Appropriation Committee. These programs
include the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, the Weatherization Program and the Department
of Health and Human Services’ Low Income Home Energy Assistance
Program (LIHEAP).
In our Reflections on the Energy Crisis, we stated that
“The Church’s interest in these topics (energy policy)
is quite straight forward. To the extent that energy is necessary
for human life and health, and for life with dignity, access to
it is a matter of justice. Institutions and energy policies that
fail to take human need sufficiently into account violate rights
which the Church must defend.” We also recognized that “In
the years ahead, the nations of the earth, both rich and poor,
must learn to conserve what supplies they can obtain. They must
also find some way of switching over to dependence on alternative
sources of energy …”
The burning of fossil fuels is the dominant source of pollution
that continues to contribute to a host of environmental and health
problems including acid rain, urban smog and respiratory ailments.
As bishops and pastors, we are especially concerned with the effects
on the poor and the vulnerable, especially children. To correct
these problems now and to protect better future generations as
well as the environment, policies that promote energy conservation
and efficiency and the development of renewable energy resources
offer a more just and viable long term solution. An increase in
funding could help prevent human environmental health problems
as well as reduce energy resource waste.
We especially urge you to increase the funding available for
the Weatherization Program and LIHEAP, which have helped so many
low-income people literally survive extreme winters and summers.
The Weatherization program has been successful in retrofitting
buildings to conserve energy, lower power bills and create jobs.
LIHEAP funds are critically needed to assist and protect millions
of low-income families, children, senior citizens and disabled
persons from severe economic and physical hardship. Without help
from LIHEAP emergency funds, many low-income families may be forced
to choose between heat and food. In your effort to balance the
budget, we urge you not to sacrifice one program for the other.
Together these programs protect human life and the environment.
Increased support for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewables
seems a wise investment. Given the disproportionate consumption
of energy and other natural resources by the United States relative
to its population, research and development of renewables and
alternative energy resources can help usher in a more sustainable
economy for the 21st century. This cluster of DOE programs has
a proven track record of protecting the environment with the cooperation
of the private sector while decreasing our national dependence
on imported oil. It is also not likely in general that the private
sector would pick up this responsibility because of the uncertainty
of an expeditious return on investment in the near future. More
importantly, there is a societal obligation that requires us not
to leave future generations with depleted natural resources or
an unhealthy environment.
Thank you for your consideration of our views.
Sincerely,
Bishop of Spokane
Chairman, Committee on Domestic Policy
Most Reverend William Skystad