(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . A Conservative Climate Summit . . . . seriously? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-07-24 July 24, 2023 Representative John Curtis 2236 Rayburn House Office Building — Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-7751 - FAX: 202-225-5629 Representative Curtis; You recently invited constituents to register for the “Upcoming Conservative Climate Summit” you’re hosting on Friday, September 8, 2023, at Utah Valley University. You justified the summit by saying, “The deadly impact of climate change continues to rear its ugly head as countries around the world faced devastating environmental crises this week.” You then went on to describe power outages due to heavy rains in South Korea, the deaths of 100 people in India due to “severe monsoon weather,” and you say, “Southern Europe is set to record its hottest temperatures in history next week as a heat wave scorches the Mediterranean.” Surprisingly, you didn’t say a word about how climate change impacts Utah, much less the United States. In the unlikely event you don’t already know, the Utah Department of Public Safety has issued the following analysis of the potential impact climate change is likely to have on Utah: “It is likely that temperatures will increase through much of the twenty-first century, which will impact Utah's natural hazarding including drought, flooding, extreme weather, wildfire, landslide, avalanche, and dam failure. “Climate change will impact Utah's agricultural economy as increasingly hot temperatures impact the cattle's open grazing feed supply and stress livestock. Agriculture is 15% of Utah's economy, and hotter summers and less reliable water will also affect what can be grown in arid Utah, with an economic impact of $21 billion annually. A 2011 paper Ranching and Multiyear Droughts in Utah, found that 75% of Utah ranch operations reported major reductions in water supply, forage, and cattle productivity. “In 2017, Park City Green completed a study assessing how climate change will impact their city and the skiing industry responsible for 20,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in revenue for Utah annually. The study suggests decreasing snow levels will hurt Utah's world skiing destination reputation because of a shorter ski season and less skiable terrain. The estimated losses by 2030 are $120 million. “The serious health impacts from a changing climate and how it impacts Utahns have been documented in the Utah Department of Health & Climate Change and Public Health in Utah & plan.” According to the United Nations, climate change is primarily caused by fossil fuels (coal, gas, and oil) produced by major oil and gas corporate political contributors, accounting for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions. While you claim to be concerned about the need to confront climate change, House Republicans advanced an appropriations bill that would increase domestic production of the same fossil fuels that are the primary cause of climate change-induced death and destruction facing the good folks who live in Utah and the rest of the world. The new legislation significantly reduces funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, and the White House Council of Environmental Quality. It also requires more oil and gas lease sales both on and off-shore, encourages mining development, eliminates protections for wildlife, and repeals over $9 billion allocated in President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act to address the immediate and long-term impacts of climate change. Additionally, the Republican bill restricts the EPA’s authority to regulate pollutants and rescinds clean-water protections. And, so, Representative Curtis, we’re confused. Why would you waste your time and taxpayer money to host the “Upcoming Conservative Climate Summit” when the Speaker of the House and the majority of your Republican House colleagues are determined to dismantle the first significant climate change initiatives enacted by Congress in recent memory? We'd love to hear your explanation if you’re brave enough to stand up publicly and be honest with your constituents in Utah’s Third Congressional District and everyone else in America. With high hopes, the American people await a courageous, apolitical response, Davy Z Jones [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/7/24/2183068/-A-Conservative-Climate-Summit-seriously Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/