It would roll back bedrock protections, like the National Environmental Policy Act.

The communities most vulnerable to the climate crisis should not shoulder the burden of the climate crisis—but that is exactly what is happening.

At the same time, these ocean justice communities have been systematically marginalized, under-resourced, and excluded from power as a result of historical racism, industrialization, militarization, and colonization.

Forcing the fossil fuel industry’s wish list onto must-pass legislation would further undermine the self-determination of these communities. 

It’s time to confront long-standing inequity with meaningful and just action informed by the very communities who have the most at stake. That's why the Ocean Justice Forum was established–to collaboratively envision what a just ocean future should look like.

Congress – reject the #DirtyDeal and start confronting the long-standing inequity faced by our ocean justice communities.

The Ocean Justice Platform sets clear priorities to guide policymakers’ approach to just and equitable ocean policy.

Congress should embrace these recommendations instead of a deal that puts polluters over people.

The ocean, the climate, and our communities have had enough. 

The Big Oil #DirtyDeal pending in Congress would make it easier to advance dangerous, dirty fossil fuel projects, while stifling the voices of the people most harmed by them — especially communities of color and poor people.

In November 2022, the Ocean Justice Forum ran a digital ad campaign opposing an environmental permitting deal that was being contemplated by Congress at that time. The "Dirty Deal" would have limited the ability of frontline community groups to oppose pipelines and other fossil fuel infrastructure that impacts human health and the environment. The efforts of the frontline groups, alongside those of many other organizations, were thankfully successful in stopping the proposed deal.