Last week we sent a strong statement with petitions to the U.S. government’s Export-Import Bank, telling them to stay away from the Great Barrier Reef coal port expansion — a deal that would wreck the Reef and cook the climate!
Now it’s time to amplify our message by making a call to the bank. Here’s how you can help:
Call this number: 1-800-565-EXIM (or 1-800-565-3946)
The line is open from 8am-8pm Eastern time.
Leave a message if your receive a recording. If you get a live operator, politely tell them why you called:
“I’m calling to tell the Ex-Im Bank not to finance Great Barrier Reef destruction! Please pass the following message on to chairman Hochberg. The proposed Abbot Point coal port in Australia would damage the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage site, and cook the climate. It’s too dirty for Wall Street, and it’s too dirty for Ex-Im Bank. Don’t finance reef destruction!”
Fred Hochberg, chair of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, recently launched a brand new customer support hotline. So far, this new line has only been receiving about 30 calls a day, and Hochberg has said he wants to get more people using this number. Let’s set a new record for daily calls, and send a clear message: don’t finance reef destruction!
The bank isn’t used to having citizens weigh in on their decisions. But when it comes to protecting the Great Barrier Reef and preventing climate change, we can’t afford to remain silent. Let’s make sure that the U.S. Export-Import Bank knows we’ll fight to stop them from financing reef destruction.
Our petition got their attention: they know the public is watching what they will do on this issue. Now drive the point home by making a personal phone call to the bank’s hotline.
Sources:
1. “Great Barrier Reef protection plan ‘ignores the threat of climate change'”, The Guardian, October 27, 2014
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/27/great-barrier-reef-protection-plan-ignores-threat-climate-change
2. “Fred Hochberg, Chairman & President, Export-Import Bank”, Federal News Radio, December 4, 2014
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/85/3756061/Fred-Hochberg-Chairman-President-Export-Import-Bank
