FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org
National Environmental Groups Endorse Chris Espinosa for Congress in California’s 26th District
Espinosa brings deep experience fighting for environmental justice
National environmental groups Oil Change Action, Friends of the Earth Action, Climate Hawks Vote, and Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund have endorsed Chris Espinosa for California’s 26th Congressional District ahead of the June 2 primary election.
A fourth-generation Californian, Espinosa has dedicated his career to fighting for civil rights, workers’ rights, healthcare, and environmental justice. With Earthjustice’s Clean Water team, he saw firsthand how the Flint, Michigan, water crisis devastated marginalized communities. As a senior staff member in Congress, he helped advance some of the most comprehensive and inclusive environmental justice legislation ever proposed. As a co-founder of GreenLatinos, Espinosa co-created a space to bring together Latino leaders to secure “political, economic, cultural, and environmental liberation.”
Espinosa understands environmental challenges and the clear and present danger they present to our communities. California’s 26th Congressional District overlaps with Ventura County, the fastest-warming county in the continental United States. The area has been hit hard by devastating wildfires, including the Thomas and Woolsey Fires.
As a member of Congress, Espinosa will support a moratorium on artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and hold polluters accountable through federal legislation. He will work to clean up local toxic sites like Santa Susana Field Lab and Halaco, and he plans to aggressively fight Trump’s efforts to drill for oil off the Ventura County shoreline.
Collin Rees, Campaigns Manager at Oil Change Action, said:
“Chris Espinosa has dedicated his life to pursuing environmental justice. The communities of the 26th District deserve a proven fighter in Congress who will stand by their side as the district is ravaged by deadly climate impacts. Chris is that fighter. He will hold fossil fuel companies and their enablers accountable in California and beyond, and we are proud to endorse him.”
RL Miller, political director at Climate Hawks Vote, said:
“As a Ventura County resident and Woolsey fire survivor, I’m thrilled to endorse Chris Espinosa and I’ll be honored to cast a vote for him. This county is the poster child for climate change, with sea level rise at one end and extreme heat at the other. We need a fighter who will hold accountable the polluters who are wreaking havoc on my home.”
Ariel Moger, Director of Public Affairs at Friends of the Earth Action, said:
“Chris Espinosa is the real deal – a proven environmental justice champion and genuine advocate for his community. For years, Friends of the Earth Action has partnered with Espinosa to defend and strengthen our bedrock environmental laws that ensure everyone has access to clean air, clean water, and input into federal decision-making. That’s why we’re elated to endorse Chris Espinosa for Congress. We know Espinosa will continue to fight for people over corporate interests in Washington DC and we urge the voters of California’s 26th Congressional district to support him.”
Rachel Rilee, Deputy Political Director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, said:
“From the Santa Monica Mountains to the beaches of the Channel Islands, California’s 26th District deserves a leader strong enough to protect the coast, parks and public lands that define it. Chris Espinosa is a bold progressive and a proven environmental champion who’ll fight for the urgent action this moment demands. He understands that our public lands, waters, wildlife and communities are all connected, and he’ll push for progressive policies that protect our environment and our future.”
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