Environmentalists and Climate Advocates Clearly Choose Tom Perriello for Virginia Governor

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Environmentalists and Climate Advocates Clearly Choose Tom Perriello for Virginia Governor

Perriello’s Progressive Agenda to Combat Climate Change Has Received Broad Support from Environmental Activists and Organizations in Virginia and Across the Nation

As Governor, Tom Will Be a Firewall Against the Trump Administration’s Disregard for the Environment and Will Move Virginia Towards a Clean Energy Future

Today, Tom Perriello, Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, released a new digital video highlighting his commitment to oppose the construction of two fracked-gas pipelines and push back against the outsized influence of the fossil fuel industry in Virginia. Last week, hours after Trump’s reckless decision to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement was announced, Tom was the first gubernatorial candidate to come out in his support for Virginia joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, which will push for the climate goals embodied in the Paris Agreement and foster innovation among the states in combating climate change. (Gov. McAuliffe has since announced Virginia will indeed join the alliance.) Additionally, Perriello is the only Democratic gubernatorial candidate to clearly oppose the proposed Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley fracked-gas pipelines, calling for a dramatic shift to clean, renewable energy in Virginia and the jobs it will create.

In recent weeks, prominent environmental activists and organizations from across Virginia and the U.S. have endorsed Tom Perriello’s progressive campaign, emphasizing the fact that Perriello is the best choice to protect Virginia’s environment from Trump’s reckless agenda that threatens the environment and the safety of Virginians in some of the most vulnerable coastal communities. Tom’s bold vision to protect natural resources and move the Commonwealth toward a clean energy future has earned him the largest number of endorsements from prominent environmental organizations and activists of any candidate in this year’s governor’s race.

Here’s what environmental activists and organizations say about Tom’s bold agenda:

• Bill McKibben, Environmentalist and Founder of 350.org: “Tom Perriello, for the first time in Virginia’s political history, has stood up to Dominion Energy. That’s a smart move – what the politically-connected utility wants to do is lock the Commonwealth into a future of pipelines and power plants, even as the energy landscape is changing fast in the direction of renewables. This kind of foresight bodes well for his chances to lead Virginia on many other fronts as governor.”
• Jason Kowalski, U.S Policy Director at 350 Action: “Tom Perriello’s pledge to reject contributions from the fossil fuel industry during his campaign is a commitment to keeping politics clean. It is the type of leadership we should be calling for from all candidates running for office to secure our future and the future of our communities.”
• Michael Mann, Former UVA Climate Scientist: “Donald Trump has made it clear by leaving the Paris Climate Agreement it’s on leaders at the state and local level to lead the fight against climate change. That’s why I’m so proud to stand with Tom Perriello. He immediately called for Virginia to join the new United States Climate Alliance, a coalition of 61 cities and 3 states promising to fulfill our original obligations in the Paris agreement.”
• Erich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth Action: “Tom Perriello is with us in the trenches fighting fracking pipelines and uranium mines and challenging the power of Dominion Energy. Perriello’s commitment to progressive environmental, economic policies and social justice make him the best candidate to lead the Commonwealth of Virginia forward.”
• Josh Fox, Environmental Activist and Award-Winning Director of Gasland: “There’s a lot to lose in Virginia if we don’t transform our energy systems and get off fossil fuels, Tom Perriello is the candidate to do that.”
• Climate Hawks Vote: “Climate Hawks Vote announces its first and possibly only endorsement for 2017: Tom Perriello for Governor of Virginia. This is the group’s first-ever endorsement in a state race, and is driven by Perriello’s political courage in refusing money from Dominion Power and standing up to two fracked natural gas pipelines proposed for the state.”
• George Goehl, Co-Director of People’s Action: “We need bold elected officials like Tom Perriello who will put people and our planet before corporate profit. Perriello is the antidote to Trumpism, neoliberalism, and racism: a candidate who will stand up for racial and gender justice, champion policies that expand economic equity and power to all Virginians, and stop the rich and corporations from corrupting our democracy.”
• Stephen Kretzmann, Executive Director of ClimateTruth.org Action: “Tom Perriello’s climate leadership is the perfect antidote to Donald Trump’s denial. As Governor of Virginia, we have full confidence that Tom Perriello will lead the way by blocking dangerous gas pipelines, and continuing to champion clean energy.”
• Carolyn Riley, Bold Alliance: “In recognition of his strong stance to put people before pipelines and profit, Bold Alliance is proud to announce our endorsement of Tom Perriello for Governor of Virginia. Many citizens and landowners who have been riled up by the threat of eminent domain for private gain and the proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast fracked gas pipelines are watching this election carefully. Tom Perriello has dedicated time on the campaign trail to visit with and listen to rural communities in our state.”
• Food & Water Action Fund: “We firmly believe that Perriello will be the strong environmental champion that we need to move Virginia off of its dependence on dirty fuels and towards renewable energy. In a state that has totally catered to the energy industry by only enacting voluntary goals for a transition to renewables, Perriello’s bold stance against two fracked natural gas pipelines, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Mountain Valley Pipeline, shows he will be ready to stand up against the oil and gas industry’s stranglehold on the state.”
• Sunrise Movement; @sunrisemvmt: “The #VAGov race is razor thin. Only @tomperriello opposes Dominion Energy’s fracked gas pipelines”
• Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club; @bruneski: “The first chance to beat Trump is in Virginia’ @tomperriello”