Dear John,

First of all, I want to offer my support to those affected by the devastating Category 5 hurricane that struck Acapulco this morning. As fellow coastal dwellers we know all too well how devastaing a hurricane of that size and scale can be and we wish them the best.

When Hurricane Matthew tore through Virginia Beach, it delivered with it a message: Invest in a climate resilient city infrastructure now or risk another catastrophe. 

I took Hurricane Matthew as a wake up call.

Which is why I am especially proud to put my efforts behind the $7 million dollar budget designed to help protect our Southern Rivers Watershed and Chowan River Basin areas against the devastating effects of flooding and the threat of rising sea levels. 

But it's not just flooding that threatens our future. In my work towards Climate Resilience I've made sure to center other pressing issues such as: 

• Air Pollution Reduction: Our air quality directly impacts public health. I am dedicated to reducing air pollution through strategic community partnerships that help improve the quality of life for all Virginians. 
• Clean, Renewable Energy: Transitioning to clean, renewable energy is at the heart of our efforts to combat climate change. I support this viable market to help increase job opportunities while reducing our reliance on traditional fossil fuels. 

Healing our climate isn’t going to happen overnight but I believe that if we work together and - more importantly - if we can win against my Republican counterparts this November (Tuesday Nov 7 - less than two weeks!), we will continue the work we’ve done and towards a future we can be proud of. 

Your donation of $75 will help us in our fight to protect our natural resources  for future generations - are you in?

Sincerely, 

Sen. Aaron Rouse
Virginia State Senate