Thumbs Down to Polluting Projects!

Permitting reform is one of the most contentious environmental issues of our time. It refers to simplifying the laws and procedures that determine how the government approves infrastructure projects. A big debate concerns how much weight should be given to a project's impacts on the environment and the community.

Our speaker, Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, will explain the swirl of controversy surrounding permitting reform and how recent legislation in the Senate, the SPEED Act (S.3224), gives short shrift to the environment and environmental justice. Erik is executive director of the Western Environmental Law Center. An expert in issues related to oil and gas development, Erik leads the Center's campaigns to phase out fossil fuels and build climate resilience.

Rabbi Marc Gruber will offer a religious reflection. He is rabbi emeritus at Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth in Rockville Centre, NY, and has served on the Social Action Commission of the Union for Reform Judaism and is part of the American Committee for…