Stated Clerk Writes to Army Corps of Engineers about Increased Coal Export Traffic in the Pacific NW

Col. John G. Buck

Seattle District Commander

Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

P.O. Box 3755

Seattle, WA 98 124-3755

Re:  Support of Lummi Nation Request for Denial of Permit for the Proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal Bulk Dry Goods Shipping Facility (Ref. No. NWS-2008-260).

Dear Colonel Buck:

As Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a Christian denomination in the Reformed tradition, it is my responsibility to communicate the will of the General Assembly, our church’s highest governing body, which is composed of representatives from all 171 presbyteries in the nation. Last year, the 221^st General Assembly (2014) expressed, by unanimous consent, serious concern about the expansion of coal transportation through the Pacific Northwest. I therefore urge you to deny the permit for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal Bulk Dry Goods Shipping Facility at Cherry Point, WA.

The Assembly “recognize[d] that regional issues of extraction, pollution, transportation, and export have interstate, national, and global implications, both for environmental justice concerns and for global climate disruption/change. Such impacts range from coal dust pollution, diesel particulates, potential for derailments, negative impacts on real estate, and public health and safety concerns, to global climate change, sea level rise, acidification of oceans, severe weather events, and the ethical dilemma of profiting from the export of coal and other fossil fuels for use in countries whose environmental and pollution restrictions are less stringent.”

For these reasons we also urge that any expansion of coal train routes undergo a complete Environmental Impact Assessment conducted at multiple locations along the proposed expansion route so as to assess the impact on vulnerable communities.

To add to these environmental justice concerns, I understand that the proposed Cherry Point coal terminal will be located on Lummi Nation sacred sites. This terminal threatens Lummi fishing rights and their way of life. The potential damage to salmon, crab and herring fisheries cannot be mitigated.  Nor can the damage to ancestral homes and archeological sites be repaired once they are destroyed.   All of this has been clearly spelled out by the tribe in numerous letters to the Army Corps of Engineers. Siting this coal terminal at Cherry Point plainly violates Lummi Nation treaty rights. As a church, we have confessed our complicity in the oppression of this nation’s First People and affirm that “programs and services to Indian peoples are not ‘gifts,’ but are rights accorded to them as citizens of the United States and as members of Indian tribes who secured those rights through ‘government to government’ agreements and treaties.” I write to stand in solidarity with the Lummi Nation and urge you to reject the permit for the new Terminal.

Our covenants are sacred -- those with God, those between the U.S. government and the governments of indigenous people, and our covenant with each other to till and to keep the Earth healthy for generations to come. I call on the Army Corps of Engineers to uphold the treaty rights of the Native communities of the Northwest, to ensure that our extraction, transportation and export of fossil fuels not do harm to vulnerable communities and the environment, and immediately to deny the permit application for a proposed coal export terminal at Cherry Point, Xwe’chi’eXen in the Native language.   

Sincerely,

The Reverend Gradye Parsons

Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

CC:      The Honorable Jay Inslee

            The Honorable Patty Murray

The Honorable Maria Cantwell

The Honorable Suzan DelBene

The Honorable Rick Larsen

The Honorable Jaime Herrera Beutler

The Honorable Dan Newhouse

The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers

The Honorable Derek Kilmer

The Honorable Jim McDermott

The Honorable Dave Reichert

The Honorable Adam Smith

The Honorable Denny Heck

           

To read the complete GA Overture, click here.

To download the PDF of this letter, click here. 

General Assembly Concerned by Coal Trains

Approved as amended (amended text below) by the 221st General Assembly (2014) on the consent agenda --

On Affirming a Programmatic Review of the Impact of Expanded Coal Export Projects on Human Health and Well Being

The Presbytery of Seattle overtures the 221st General Assembly (2014) to state concerns related to the ongoing and expanding extraction and export of fossil fuels, particularly coal, from the U.S. for use in Asia, and approve the following measures for public health and climate stewardship:

     1. Urges civil authorities to conduct promptly a full, programmatic review and assessment of the impact of expanded coal export projects in Washington and Oregon on human health and the well-being of communities along the Northwest rail lines. [This should include full Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) produced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the studies should be conducted at multiple locations along the proposed expansion route so as to assess the impact on vulnerable communities.
 
     2. Commends the Washington State Department of Environmental Quality (WA DEQ) for its decision to conduct a full EIS along the route within its jurisdiction and directs the Stated Clerk to communicate this approbation to WA DEQ.
 
     3. Recognizes that regional issues of extraction, pollution, transportation, and export have interstate, national, and global implications, both for environmental justice concerns and for global climate disruption/change. Such impacts range from coal dust pollution, diesel particulates, potential for derailments, negative impacts on real estate, and public health and safety concerns, to global climate change, sea level rise, acidification of oceans, severe weather events, and the ethical dilemma of profiting from the export of coal and other fossil fuels for use in countries whose environmental and pollution restrictions are less stringent.
 
     4. Affirms that civil authorities are called upon to require full disclosure and consideration of the combined effect of all coal export projects taken together on the poorest and most vulnerable communities, locally and globally. The General Assembly further affirms that the evaluation of coal export involves moral choices, in which key considerations are caring for the creation that God has made and with careful stewardship and justice for those who depend on a stable climate and water supply for survival.
 
     5. Directs the Stated Clerk to write to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the EPA, and the governors and congressional delegation of Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho, urging comprehensive Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) along proposed routes for expanded export of fossil fuels, including analysis from the National Transportation Safety Board and other bodies as necessary.
 
     6. Commends the presbyteries of Seattle, Cascades, and North Puget Sound for their environmental awareness and advocacy, and encourages other Presbyterians and councils of the church to consider the impact of resource extraction, transportation, and use in their regions and to work with state and national ecumenical bodies and the Office of Public Witness of the Presbyterian Mission Agency in addressing concerns.

Presbyterians Join Religious Leaders in Lifting Up Poverty for 2016 Presidential Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 15, 2015                                                                                                                 

Contacts:

                                                                                                                                         

Fito Moreno, Bread for the World, (202) 812-2223, amoreno@bread.org

Zerline Hughes, Bread for the World, (617) 596-6958, zhughes@bread.org

Juliet Vedral, Sojourners, (202) 745 4625, jvedral@sojo.net

 Christian Leaders Challenge Presidential Candidates

to Focus on Ending Hunger, Poverty

Washington, D.C., January 15, 2015 – As President Obama prepares to present his plan for his final two years in office in the annual State of the Union address next week, a group of Christian leaders is already looking ahead to what the next president may do to address hunger and poverty.

The group of 100 Christian leaders around the country, including the Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly, is challenging the presidential candidates to appear on camera in a video stating how they propose to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and abroad.

"We are praying for a president who will make ending hunger and poverty a top priority of his or her administration. Are you that leader?" a statement from the group asks. The full statement is available at www.circleofprotection.us.

The leaders, convened by the Circle of Protection, represent a diverse array of Christian denominations, churches, colleges, and agencies across the country. They will disseminate the videos throughout their networks and memberships in order to raise hunger and poverty as an election issue.

"We will be calling on people of faith to examine presidential candidates to see if they have a heart for poor and hungry people.  We want to know how each candidate proposes to fulfill the mandate to those who govern to "give deliverance to the needy" (Psalm 72), the leaders said in their statement released today.

According to the latest U.S. Census data, 49 million Americans are at risk of hunger, while 45 million live in poverty. One in five children lives in poverty. That is 15 million children, 5 million of them under age 6.

The challenge to candidates was issued today during a press conference organized by the Circle of Protection. Speakers included Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World; Galen Carey, vice president of government relations for the National Association of Evangelicals; Rev. Sèkinah Hamlin, director of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative; Rev. Carlos Malavè, executive director of Christian Churches Together; Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA; and Rev. Jim Wallis, president and founder of Sojourners.  

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 The Circle of Protection is a coalition composed of more than 65 heads of denominations, relief and development agencies, and other Christian organizations. www.circleofprotection.us

Quotes:

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was represented at the press conference by the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson, PC(USA) Director for Public Witness:

“Hunger and poverty in a world of abundance are sins and we have the responsibility – both at our church doors and in our halls of government – to address the underlying root causes that trap generations in poverty. Our elected leaders, those who have been elected and those who are seeking election, must have a comprehensive plan that begins to undo the vast and growing income inequality in this nation. We must make education and good jobs – with living wages and good benefits – available to all people. I hope to see bold vision from these Presidential candidates.”

Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World:

"There is broad consensus among faith leaders that our country has been culpably neglectful of poverty, especially in our own country.  100 Christian leaders of all stripes are urging all the candidates to explain, on camera, what they would do to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in our country and around the world.”

Galen Carey, vice president for government relations, National Association of Evangelicals:

“There are different ways to address the needs of poor and vulnerable people—some more effective than others. Christians who believe government leaders are called to share God’s concern for the poor and vulnerable want to know how presidential candidates would approach this essential responsibility. Silence on poverty is inexcusable.”

Rev. Sèkinah Hamlin, director of the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative:

“We are looking for those who aspire to become president of the United States to seize this moment and take decisive leadership in ways that address the complex yet solvable evil of poverty, particularly as poverty affects nearly one in every five children in America and one in every three children of color.”

Rev. Carlos Malavè, executive director, Christian Churches Together in the USA:

“Christian leaders from all major Christian traditions have come to have a shared sense that the extent of poverty in this country is unnecessary and shameful. We expect that our president, regardless of which political party he or she represents, place hunger and poverty at the top of his or her priorities."

Fr. Larry Snyder, president Catholic Charities USA:

"For the 45 million Americans living in poverty, the state of our union leaves them struggling to get by. Helping them achieve their full potential should not be a partisan issue - it's time for candidates from both sides of the aisle to have a meaningful conversation about advancing the common good," said Fr. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA.

Jim Wallis, founder and CEO, Sojourners:

"The State of the Union is still not good for poor and vulnerable people in America. Should we also not consider God's point of view as we look toward this important speech? Throughout the Scripture, we're told that a society will be judged by how they treat "the least" among them. Our political leaders also must be assessed through the measure of their commitment to the poor and most vulnerable. Though political advisors are telling their candidates that they shouldn't talk about poverty, as people of faith we must and will disagree. That is why, as each presidential candidate declares, the faith community will hold them accountable by asking them all-Republicans and Democrats alike--to tell answer the question "how will you treat those Jesus has called 'the least of these'"? How will you address and find real solutions to poverty?"

Luis Lopez Acabal Leaves Sanctuary After PCUSA Delegation Visit

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is proud to announce that Luis Lopez Acabal was able to leave the protection of Sanctuary at University Presbyterian Church in Tempe, Arizona on Friday, December 12. He is one of nine immigrants this year to shield themselves from deportation as part of the new Sanctuary Movement. From September 4 of this year to last Friday, 100 days exactly, Luis lived inside University Presbyterian to prevent his deportation and separation from his family. Luis is eligible for deportation relief through the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) Program, announced on November 20, because he is stepfather to his wife Mayra’s two children.

J. Herbert Nelson, Director of the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness stated, “We greatly rejoice in this good news. It sends a signal that the work we do in Washington, D.C., in local congregations, and across the denomination is necessary when our immigrant brothers and sisters are being denied human dignity and full inclusion in society. Luis, his family and the congregation of University Presbyterian demonstrated courage and a deep faith conviction by claiming the power of sanctuary. It is this type of courage that will make the PCUSA more relevant in these times.”

Our delegation with Luis, Rev. Ledermann, and church members. 

A delegation of Presbyterian leaders, including Rev. Gradye Parsons (PCUSA General Assembly Stated Clerk), Rev. J. Herbert Nelson II (PCUSA Office of Public Witness Director), Teresa Waggener (PCUSA Office of Immigration Director), Rev. Toya Richards Jackson, (Office of General Assembly Associate for Communications), Randy Hobson (Office of General Assembly Web Services Coordinator) and AmyBeth Willis (Office of Public Witness Young Adult Volunteer), met with Luis, Mayra, Pastor Eric O. Ledermann,  and congregation and community members on Thursday, December 4 during their Immigrant Solidarity Pilgrimage to the border.

Luis left Guatemala at the age of 17, fleeing because a local gang threatened his life. He applied for asylum, but was denied.  Here, he has made a life, working in maintenance in schools. He fell in love and married Mayra Canales, a legal resident from Mexico and mother of two U.S. citizen children, one of whom has autism. Luis has become father to her two children, Kevin (5) and Kimberly (2). He is the sole breadwinner for the family, allowing Mayra to act as a full time caregiver for their children. Kevin has thrived in the new family setting and some of his autism-related behaviors have diminished. Luis’ support as a loving husband and parenting partner has made a huge difference in Mayra’s battle with depression and anxiety. When Luis was ordered to leave the country, University Presbyterian stepped up to provide Sanctuary to him. The congregation has embraced him and his family for 100 long days, recognizing that his deportation threatens not only his life but the wellbeing of his family.

Mayra & Luis with daughter Kimberly. Credit: Alonso Parra, Left Lamp Media

Luis is happy to be home, but remains in legal limbo as he waits to apply for the new deferred action program, which grants temporary relief from deportation and a work permit. In reflecting on this great news, Rev. Eric Ledermann, pastor of University Presbyterian said, “I am thrilled that Luis gets to go home and be with his family. However, our work is not done. The President’s Executive Action is temporary and we still have a lot of work to do to fix the broken immigration system.”

Advent at the Border

IMMIGRANT SOLIDARITY PILGRIMAGE TO THE BORDER: Dec 1-4

A View of the Border Wall

Jesus was born in Nazareth under an edict to kill boy babies. Because of this, he and his family fled to Egypt. After two years as an undocumented immigrant in Egypt, he returned home to begin his earthly ministry. The story of Advent is the story of our Savior’s migration to avoid death and persecution from earthly powers that threatened the life of our Savior. Like Jesus, many undocumented immigrants today cross the border of the United States in order to flee oppressive forces in their own country. Abuse at the hand of border patrol, invisible fences, and detention centers supported by restrictive laws and racial profiling await them. We preach, sing, and pray about the baby in the manger during this Advent season, however the story of Jesus’ birth is one of cultural alienation.    

This week, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is engaging in an Advent Solidarity Pilgrimage as part of our commitment to Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Teresa Waggener, Director of the PC(USA) Office of Immigration Issues; and J. Herbert Nelson, Director of the PC(USA) Office of Public Witnessing Washington, DC, are leading a delegation this week (December 1-4) to study, engage, and explore ways to strengthen the Presbyterian connection to immigration issues. Presently, three of the eight congregations across the country sheltering immigrants in Sanctuary are Presbyterian:

• Southside Presbyterian in Tucson, AZ
• University Presbyterian Church in Tempe, AZ 
• West Kensington Ministry at Norris Square (PCUSA) in Philadelphia, PA

“Our vision is to introduce persons to the struggles related to immigration while building a contextual framing around globalization and theological framing around creating the beloved community. Through this trip, we seek to further build a significant Presbyterian network of immigration advocates in the United States," said J. Herbert Nelson.

Follow the rest of our trip on our Facebook and Twitter pages at #presbysanctuary and #journeyinginhope.

Join the Sanctuary Movement and Keep Families Together

Every day, close to 1,000 people are deported from this country. Mothers and fathers, brothers and friends are torn from their families and communities, deported to countries some of them no longer know. Congress has not acted to change this reality; they have failed to take any meaningful action on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. This nation desperately needs Immigration policy reform that will grant legal status to the 11 million people living in fear of deportation. Moreover, on September 6, 2014, the Obama Administration delayed executive action that could have extended deportation relief and offer work permits to thousands.

Click here to read PC(USA) Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons response to Obama’s announcement on delayed action.

In response, communities of faith across the nation have decided to take a stand against our broken immigration system: we are leading a movement to offer Sanctuary to people set to be deported and thus separated from their families. Sanctuary is the practice of offering housing and shelter in the church building, protecting people from harm; it has deep roots in church tradition. Four congregations in the U.S. are currently providing Sanctuary to four loving families; two of these churches are Presbyterian: Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, AZ and University Presbyterian Church in Tempe, AZ.

President Obama must not continue to stand by while people are forcibly separated from their families. Contact the White House today and ask him to use his broad executive authority to stopdeportations immediately and to expand deferred action for all.

The Sanctuary Movement

Rooted in the actions of people of faith throughout history who have welcomed the stranger and loved their neighbors, Sanctuary in 2014 seeks to shield immigrants under immediate threat of deportation. By invoking 2011 policy set by immigration authorities, which recommends individuals who fit certain qualifications be granted deportation relief through prosecutorial discretion, faith communities protect these individuals in the shelter of their churches until they receive a stay of removal or their cases are closed. These qualifications include the length of time they have resided in the U.S., a lack of a criminal history, and whether an immediate family member -- a child, parent, or spouse -- is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Thousands of deportation cases have been closed through this type of prosecutorial discretion. But people in immigration removal proceedings rarely have access to adequate legal representation that would request this type of relief. This is where communities of faith, under the advisement of legal teams, can intervene. We can offer sanctuary, thereby publicly shielding immigrants from deportation and providing a network of care and support throughout the advocacy process. (Immigration authorities have set policy forbidding immigration officers to enter places of worship to make an arrest.)

Sanctuary Has Real Meaning in Real Lives

Daniel Neyoy Ruiz
Photo credit: Fernanda Echavarri/Arizona Public Media

Southside Presbyterian in Tucson, AZ, has taken the lead in this movement, reviving the 1980s movement (also founded at Southside) of over five hundred churches and synagogues nationwide that sheltered over ten thousand Central Americans fleeing civil wars. On May 12, 2014, Daniel Neyoy Ruiz, publicly entered into sanctuary in Southside on the eve of his deportation order. After a month of living inside the church with his family, he received a stay of removal, granting a means to remain in the U.S. and receive a work permit.

Luiz Lopez Acabal, in Sanctuary at University PC in Tempe

Right now, four immigrants reside in Sanctuary: Rosa Loreto Robles at Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, AZ, Luis Lopez Acabal at University Presbyterian Church in Tempe, AZ, Beatriz Santiago Ramirez at Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission in Chicago, IL, and most recently, Francisco Aguirre in Agustana Lutheran Church in Portland, OR.

Their individual histories and cases are different, but they all bear the cost of immigration policy that fails to uphold the unity of family, recognize human dignity, or acknowledge immigrants’ rich and diverse contributions to their communities and this country.

Rosa Robles Loretto and family

This is how you can help*:

1. Contact the White House today and ask them to:

• Expand deferred action for all
• Close Luis’ case
• Close Rosa’s case 
• Close Beatriz's case

2. Sign the Petition for Luis Lopez

3. Sign the Petition for Rosa Robles

4. Sign the Petition for Beatriz Ramirez

What does the PC(USA) say about Sanctuary?

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has affirmed its support for immigrants many times. This year, the 221^st General Assembly (2014) affirmed the formation of the Presbyterian Immigrant Defense Initiative, a campaign to “empower Presbyterians to work to change policies and practices that infringe on the human and civil rights of immigrants in our communities including immigrant detention, streamlined deportation, and the executing of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by local law enforcement.” ** Sanctuary—a movement begun by Presbyterian churches-- is heeding that call.

The 2014 Sanctuary Movement is growing. This week is the launch of the National Sanctuary Movement. Over seventy-five congregations nationwide are preparing to offer Sanctuary or to support other congregations engaging in this ministry.

Join this movement of people of faith to seek justice for our undocumented brothersand sisters today by taking action.

Read PC(USA) Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons’ letter to President Obama on Sanctuary and delay of executive action: 

Just yesterday, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) took part in a tele-press conference about the growing Sanctuary movement. Here are the remarks prepared by the Reverend Gradye Parsons. 

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* Stay tuned to our Facebook page for more updates on how you can support Sanctuary 2014.

** “On Recognizing the Presbyterian Immigrant Defense Initiative to Affirm and Promote the Civil and Human Rights of Immigrants in Our Communities—From the Presbytery of Central Florida.” Approved by the 221^st General Assembly (2014). http://pc-biz.org/Explorer.aspx?id=4703