VIDEO: Heinrich Highlights Importance Of Action At The Local Level In First Climate Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 17, 2019) – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) participated in the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis' first hearing titled, “A Blueprint for Success: U.S. Climate Action at the Local Level.” During the hearing, Senator Heinrich highlights what local governments are doing to cut carbon pollution, become more resilient to the impacts of climate change, and how the federal government can and should play a role in helping cities achieve these goals.
“It's long past time for Congress to finally implement real solutions and support local governments who are already taking great steps to eliminate carbon pollution, mitigate the devastating effects of the climate crisis, and create a managed transition to an economy run 100 percent on clean energy,” said Sen. Heinrich. “The mayors we heard from today, and local and state leaders in New Mexico, are demonstrating that we don’t need to wait for policies that won’t come from this White House to confront the climate crisis. Local communities that are leading on climate action are not only reducing carbon emissions. They are also seeing major energy cost savings and creating good paying jobs. We need to build on this success all across the nation.”
Senator Heinrich has been a leading voice in the Senate on the need to combat climate change, and is a strong advocate for growing the clean energy economy in New Mexico. Senator Heinrich has worked with local leaders across the state to secure grants and provide resources to propel wind and solar projects. His efforts to secure multi-year extensions of production and investment tax credits have spurred major growth in the clean energy industry in New Mexico. Last year, Senator Heinrich launched a Solar Toolkit to connect communities in New Mexico to resources and strategies to go solar.
In addition to Senator Heinrich, members of the committee include U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
A list of witnesses and testimony, and the archived webcast of today's hearing is availablehere.
Related Issues
