Today, as crews continued assessing the damage of Hurricane Ida, Evergreen Action Coalitions Lead Wes Gobar released the following statement:

“My heart is with the people of Louisiana and all those in the path of Hurricane Ida today. We’re grateful to the local organizations and first responders on the ground taking immediate action, and we all have an obligation to stand with and support impacted communities as they do the work to assess the damage and rebuild.

“As Louisiana begins to recover from this disaster, we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. Time and time again, the Gulf Coast has seen recovery efforts that actively increase burdens on Black and low-income communities—Hurricane Katrina being case in point. As federal relief begins to flow to those impacted by Hurricane Ida, we must ensure that the recovery is equitable, just, and centered on the most vulnerable communities.

“Hurricane Ida is not a natural disaster, it’s a fossil fuel-generated climate disaster. And it’s even more devastating for the Black and brown communities that the fossil fuel industry has treated as dispensable. Simply rebuilding after this storm is not enough. To address the root causes of these disasters, and drive toward a more just and equitable future, we must combat the climate crisis and invest in infrastructure that strengthens our communities. Hurricane Ida’s path of destruction has made it clear—the costs of inaction are high, and deadly. Congress must fund a just recovery for all those impacted, and also must pass bold climate investments in reconciliation to tackle the climate crisis and build a better future. We can, and we must, stop the cycle of devastation.”

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