Dear Camarillo City Council,
My name is Catalina McFarland, and I am a student. I urge the Camarillo City Council to vote yes on passing the resolution proposed by Climate First: Replacing Oil & Gas to phase out fossil fuels, defend safety setbacks, hold polluters accountable, and demonstrate the city’s commitment to uplifting youth voices.
Phasing out oil and gas is crucial to protecting the health of Camarillo residents because oil and gas wells release harmful pollutants that cause cancer, asthma, and heart disease as well as contaminating the environment. Critically, these public health and environmental harms are felt most severely by communities of color. For this reason, it is not only important to fully transition away from oil and gas but also for the City of Camarillo to formally support the defense of SB 1137, restricting the siting of new oil and gas wells within close proximity to homes, schools, hospitals, and other sensitive locations. Finally, state Climate Superfund legislation will hold polluters financially responsible for their contributions to a climate crisis that is threatening our lives and livelihoods and putting the future of myself and other young people in jeopardy. It will generate much-needed funds for climate mitigation, adaptation, and disaster recovery that will prioritize the communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The urgency of divesting from fossil fuels and holding the fossil fuel industry accountable has never been more clear. Our communities have suffered for too long from the unaddressed harms that the fossil fuel industry has inflicted, and the situation is only getting more dire with increasing severity of the climate crisis. I urge you to do the right thing and support this resolution to protect the wellbeing of communities and future generations.
Best,
Catalina McFarland