A sister trade agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is being negotiated in secret with the European Union. It’s called the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership but is known as TAFTA. Last month, a leaked memo showed that negotiators are pushing for the US to produce more oil and gas through extreme measures such as fracking and export it to the EU. Already the US is making preparations. In Maryland, the Governor is pushing to build a liquefied methane gas terminal at Cove Point for export. A coalition of groups that includes environmentalists, Native Americans and other residents is fighting the terminal at Cove Point. We speak with Shilpa Joshi of Chesapeake Climate Action Network about the Cove Point terminal and with Mitch Jones of Food and Water watch about TAFTA.
Listen here:
Trans-Atlantic Trade Agreement to Drive More Fracking in US with Shilpa Joshi and Mitch Jones by Clearingthefog on Mixcloud
Relevant articles and websites:
Regulatory Agency Hears Cove Point Pro and Con–But Is It Listening? by Anne Meador
Cove Point Fracked Gas Export Facility vs. Safety of 24,000 Residents by Karen Gibbs
Read The Secret Trade Memo Calling For More Fracking and Offshore Drilling by Zach Carter and Kate Sheppard
Groups Warn TAFTA Threatens Important Safeguards by Citizens Trade Campaign
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Guests:
Mitch Jones is the Director of the Common Resources Program at Food & Water Watch. He manages the organization’s campaigns on nutrient trading regimes, water markets and pricing, municipal water infrastructure funding, catch share fisheries management programs, and open ocean aquaculture. He was previously the Director of the Fish Program at Food & Water Watch. Mitch also worked as the Senior Legislative and Policy Analyst for Food & Water Watch’s Water Program. Prior to joining Food & Water Watch, he worked at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, focusing on issues related to food safety and renewable fuel policy. He has appeared on CNBC, Al Jazeera English, and various radio stations across America. He holds a B.A. in history and philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a M.A.L.A. from St. John’s College, Santa Fe. Mitch can be reached mjones(at)fwwatch(dot)org.
Shilpa Joshi is the Maryland Field Organizer with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. She works to empower and engage communities and students across Maryland in the fight for clean energy.