Questlove Calls Cuts to EPA “F*cked Up” in New PSA

Proposed cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would put the safety of Americans’ air, drinking water, food supply and health at risk—and Questlove explains why “that’s f*cked up” in a new Funny Or Die video released today, in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The PSA ends by directing viewers to NRDC’s “All In” website where they can sign up to join them in fighting back by pledging their time to take action: http://www.nrdc.org/funnyordie.

Watch the video here: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/977f27f1ce.

“The EPA was created to ensure that our air and water is safe. They clean up hazardous waste in our communities and keep chemicals out of our food. That’s cool,” musician and advocate Questlove says in the video. “However, proposed budget cuts would shrink the EPA by nearly a third, crippling the science, data collection and enforcement that protects our health—even gutting a program that tests cancer-causing radon in schools. That’s f*cked up.”

The video highlights the dangers of a proposal to cut the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by nearly one third, which would significantly cripple its ability to protect people’s health and the environment. Questlove specifically points to the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, as an example that underscores to the need for EPA programs that protect children from lead contamination.

“The interests of corporate polluters must not come before people’s health or the well-being of our children,” said Rhea Suh, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Americans have a right to clean air, safe drinking water and communities free of toxic pollution—no matter where we live, what we look like or how much money we make. EPA is an essential guardian of these basic rights. We will continue to resist efforts to put our communities and families at risk.”

The PSA is part of NRDC’s ongoing battle to defend Americans’ health and the environment against an all out assault from the Trump administration and some in Congress. As new threats arise, viewers that have signed up through the “All In” website will receive emails or texts with the tools they need to join NRDC in the environmental resistance—from sending letters to the editor, to calling their representatives in Washington, sharing videos on their social media channels or bringing friends to a local event.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.