Health Professionals Sign-On Letter to Keep the Law (SB 1137) to Protect Neighborhoods from Oil and Gas Drilling
A message from Robert Dodge, MD., PSR-LA Board Co-President, & Jimmy Hara, MD., PSR-LA Board Member:
As health professionals, we have an important role to play in stopping the fossil fuel industry’s shameless attempt to overturn a common-sense law enacted by California’s elected leaders. SB1137 prohibits toxic oil drilling within 3,200 feet of healthcare facilities, homes, schools, daycare centers, parks, and businesses. Sign this public letter today.
Expecting the oil industry to spend millions flooding voters with disinformation about the law in the run-up to a November statewide ballot referendum, this public letter from health professionals urges Californians to keep the law.
Research shows that living near an oil well increases the risk of asthma, birth defects, high-risk pregnancy, respiratory illnesses, and cancer and that the risks are greatest within half a mile. Today, more than 2 million Californians are exposed to the most toxic emissions, and communities of color are the most harmed by neighborhood drilling.
As health professionals, we have earned the trust of Californians through our daily work caring for their health and well-being. Through this letter, we can put that trust to work and protect the health of some of California’s most vulnerable residents. We aim to reach 1,000 health professionals across California. Help us meet that goal by signing and then circulating to your own colleagues! (Note that if an organization or institution you work with would like to endorse the campaign, use this form instead.)
