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Bill McKibben, author and founder of 350.org, 

350.org reacts as Hurricane Laura sweeps through Louisiana 15 years after Katrina

 

As communities commemorate the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this Saturday, August 29, Hurricane Laura is sweeping through Southwest Louisiana, bringing an “unsurvivable” storm surge, 150 mph winds, and climate destruction reminiscent of what the same region experienced 15 years ago.

For Alicia Cooke of 350 New Orleans,  “ Laura reminds us of the danger of fossil fuel reliance from two perspectives: not only is she strengthened by climate change, but we also see her path cutting straight through a major petrochemical hub along the Louisiana/Texas border, with potential for great environmental catastrophe.”

She maintains that “When we rely on a fossil fuel economy, we rely on the integrity of oil and gas infrastructure, which has become increasingly vulnerable as storms continue to strengthen year after year.”

Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, North America Director at 350.org, said,“Let’s not forget: Hurricane Laura is fossil-fueled. 15 years after Hurricane Katrina, Black communities, the United Houma Nation, Indigenous Peoples, Latinx, immigrants, and people of color across the Gulf South are still recovering and rebuilding.

“The attacks are relentless as communities repeatedly face systemic racism, fossil fuel destruction, environmental injustice, and climate disasters like Hurricane Laura.

“We stand with frontline communities throughout the Gulf South as we honor lives and homes lost, hold fossil fuel executives accountable, and build a Just Recovery toward a Green New Deal that prioritizes our health and safety.”

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