Karen Feridun
20,000 signatures reached
To: U.S. Forest Service
National Forests Should Not Become Carbon Waste Dumps
The country’s national forests are an important climate solution. Trees sequester carbon, providing long-term, natural storage for this powerful greenhouse gas. With fossil fuels and polluting industries driving the climate crisis and harming the health of people and wildlife, we need to bring an end to the fossil fuel era. Using public lands as storage for industrial carbon waste is alarming and wrong.
Compressed carbon dioxide is also highly hazardous. Upon release, it forms a cold, dense cloud that sinks to the ground and can sicken and asphyxiate humans and animals. Injecting carbon waste beneath national forests could put recreationalists, nearby residents, and even wildlife at risk of injury — often without guaranteed rescue, as the combustion engine vehicles used by first responders can’t operate in areas with known carbon dioxide leaks.
The U.S. Forest Service is charged with sustaining the health and diversity of the nation’s forests. These public spaces should be preserved as wild and valuable habitat for people and animals, not used as a dumping ground. We urge you to scrap the upcoming proposal allowing carbon waste dumping in national forests.
Why is this important?
National forests in the United States are essential and irreplaceable. They preserve precious habitat for a wide diversity of plants and animals, provide health and enjoyment to recreationalists, and play a key role in fighting climate change. But now the U.S. Forest Service is planning to allow carbon waste dumping in national forests.
We can't allow the nation's forests to be used as a dumping ground for fossil fuel companies and other industrial polluters. Not only would carbon storage require the buildout of dangerous pipelines, injection wells and roads — it would also pose potentially deadly risks to people and wildlife. Carbon dioxide leaks are highly hazardous and can lead to suffocation and even death.
We need to stop this dangerous proposal in its tracks. Tell the Forest Service to scrap its upcoming proposal to allow carbon waste dumping in U.S. forests.