US Bank: Fund Solutions, Not Pollution

In June, US Bank released a newly updated Environmental policy, which includes further restrictions on coal and protections for Indigenous communities in the energy and mining sectors. Read more in an article by Clean Technica: bit.ly/29sKgkY

We are glad to see that US Bank is responding to pressure, but know they can do more. In a recent Op Ed in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Bank CEO Richard Davis wrote, “A bank’s single greatest purpose [is] to keep entire communities growing and going.” Our communities and our economy depend on a healthy climate.

Tweet at US Bank - bit.ly/29QFu3l - to thank them for moving away from coal, and ask them to remove all support for the toxic industries that are devastating our planet, and instead help fund the transition to a clean energy economy.

On Monday May 23, we held our second meeting with US Bank, this time with environmental policy decision makers. At the meeting our delegation:

- Thanked them for altering their policy to reduce investments in coal
- Learned that US Bank will release a second revision of their policy in 3-4 weeks based on our feedback
- Pressed them to stop financing and divest totally from tar sands, fracking, and coal, and
- Presented a series of ideas on expanding financing of solar to make it accessible for low-income communities.

At the meeting US Bank agreed to ongoing dialogue, and we expect to meet with them again once their new policy comes out.

Stay tuned for the next update and opportunity to help US Bank take truly meaningful action on climate!

After members of MN350 and 350 Colorado attended and spoke out at the US Bank Shareholders meeting in Denver last week, US Bank has finally agreed to bring decision makers to a meeting to discuss the details of their environmental policy.

We will keep you posted on our progress after the meeting mid-May. Thanks again for your support!

We received US Bank's new Environmental Policy!

In their new policy, U.S. Bank commits to reduce lending across the U.S. coal industry, including restrictions on new coal mining projects, coal-fired power plants and mountaintop removal mining practices.

This action taken by U.S. Bank represents an important step, yet the policy is far from perfect.
U.S. Bank’s commitment lags behind those made recently by other banks, and allows financing to coal companies that engage in mountaintop removal.

We know they can and must do much more. We will continue to work with groups around the country to hold U.S. Bank accountable. Our next action will be on April 19th, during U.S. Bank’s Shareholder meeting.

Share the news on Facebook http://bit.ly/1pS1JIK or Twitter http://bit.ly/1Y4F9Yq

Your emails to US Bank are making a difference!

Yesterday, 3/17 we received a letter from US Bank stating that they are revising their Environmental Policy Statement, and will release it on April 1st.

We replied that we are not interested in simply receiving a copy of the Statement, but expect them to “engage in dialogue with...non governmental organizations (NGO’s), and other stakeholders to better understand the impacts of Climate Change and to help identify options for solutions,” as stated in their current Environmental Policy.

Please share our email action - bit.ly/1LmIxgn - which sends messages straight to US Bank officials, asking them to stop financing dirty and dangerous energy.

We met with US Bank Community Relations representatives in February, and they promised to get back to us by March 5th regarding a meeting with Environmental Policy decision makers. When they failed to respond, we launched an email action this week.

Click below to send a message directly to top US Bank officials, asking them to take climate change seriously and stop funding fossil fuels: bit.ly/1LmIxgn

We will hold our first meeting with U.S. Bank on February 25th, 2016. Stay tuned for an update! While they have agreed to meet, it is important to keep the pressure on in order to get U.S Bank to divest.

While most big banks have recently begun to restrict their lending to coal mining companies, including Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America and many others, US Bank has not.