Throughout the entire month of July, we were sitting on pins and needles to see whether the giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park would survive two raging fires.
John, wildfire season is here. And it’s putting our public lands on the brink of catastrophe.
Throughout the entire month of July, we were sitting on pins and needles to see whether the giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park would survive two raging fires. California declared a state of emergency, and thousands of local residents were forced to flee.
Fortunately, due to aggressive firefighting, the giant sequoias survived unscathed. But these fires should serve as a wake-up call of how close we are to losing some of the national treasures in our national parks for good.
Climate change makes heat waves three times more likely than 100 years ago and has placed us in a 24-year megadrought, which creates tinderboxes for wildfires. Wildfire “seasons” are becoming so long that the term is becoming useless.
Scientists predict this drought could last until 2030. The negative impacts of a drier, hotter climate are only expected to accelerate as climate change worsens and we reach environmental tipping points. That’s why SEEC members are leading the way towards a more climate-resilient future.
Just this month, the House approved the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, a bill that would assist communities in the West manage the ongoing megadrought and more severe wildfires. This bill, sponsored by SEEC member Rep. Joe Neguse, will increase firefighter pay and benefits, boost drought and wildfire resilience and mitigation projects, protect watersheds, and so much more. These projects will not only keep communities safe from climate effects but also help prevent more destructive fires from getting out of control.
Thanks to your help in 2020, SEEC PAC was able to re-elect over 95% of our pro-environment members to the U.S. House of Representatives — defying the odds on a night where Democrats lost seats. Now we are counting on you to help our SEEC members pass climate, clean energy and environmental justice policies in the 117th Congress while we undo the damage of the Trump Administration. But if you'd like to receive fewer emails, we understand. You can click here to only get our most important messages, or you can unsubscribe.
The Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Political Action Committee (SEEC PAC) is an organization that supports members in the U.S. House of Representatives and candidates who fight for clean energy, climate change solutions, environmental justice, and protection of our nation’s clean air, water, wildlife, and public lands. Will you make a donation to our fight today?
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