New Obama Initiatives Add Critical Elements to Climate Change Agenda

WASHINGTON (July 16, 2014) – The Obama Administration today added critical components to the president’s climate change agenda by unveiling broad initiatives that will further protect public health, the health of the nation’s infrastructure, and the health of our economy.

The following is a statement by Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“President Obama’s latest initiatives make it abundantly clear that there remains much to do – beyond curbing dangerous carbon pollution from power plants – if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. His message is at once urgent and encouraging. Climate change is here and now. We are running out of time – but not out of solutions.”

Among the administration’s climate initiatives:

• The Centers for Disease Control, in a new report, lays out the health hazards from climate change, which will help communities build in resilience measures to cope with specific health vulnerability;

• A nearly $1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition will help communities be prepared for future natural disasters;

• Department of  Interior will work with Indian tribes on climate adaptation;

• Department of Agriculture will award $236 million to bolster rural electric infrastructure in eight states;

• Department of Agriculture will continue to try to safeguard drinking water in rural communities affected by the West Coast drought;

• Federal Emergency Management Agency will call upon states to include climate variability in their state hazard mitigation planning.
• Improving storm water management and making coasts more resilient in the face of rising sea levels.