Sen. Capito (R-WV) speaks to reporters
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From an Article by Jake Johnson, Common Dreams, June 28, 2023
Senate Republicans introduced legislation earlier this week that would prohibit President Joe Biden from declaring a national climate emergency as millions across the U.S. shelter indoors to escape scorching heat and toxic pollution from Canadian wildfires, which have been fueled by runaway warming.
Led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) — a fossil fuel industry ally and the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee— the GOP bill would “prohibit the president from using the three primary statutory authorities available (the National Emergencies Act, the Stafford Act, and section 319 of the Public Health Service Act) to declare a national emergency solely on the basis of climate change,” according to a summary released by the Republican senator’s office.
Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), another friend of the oil and gas industry, is leading companion legislation in the House. The updated version of the bill, first introduced last year, comes as Biden is facing mounting pressure from environmental groups to use all of the power at his disposal to fight the climate crisis as it intensifies extreme weather across the U.S. and around the world.
A climate emergency declaration would unlock sweeping executive powers that would allow the president to halt crude oil exports, block oil and gas drilling, expand renewable energy systems, and more.
“What will it take for Biden and the Dems to stop supporting the profits of fossil fuel executives and finally declare a climate emergency? How bad will all this need to get?” While Biden reportedly considered declaring a climate emergency amid a devastating heatwave last year, he ultimately decided against it to the dismay of environmentalists.
But the impacts of Canada’s record-shattering wildfires, which are likely to get worse in the coming weeks, have sparked another round of calls for Biden to follow in the footsteps of jurisdictions in more than 40 countries and declare climate change a national emergency.
“What will it take for Biden and the Dems to stop supporting the profits of fossil fuel executives and finally declare a climate emergency? How bad will all this need to get?” asked climate scientist Peter Kalmus. “These days ticking by are absolutely critical.”
Pointing to the horrendous air quality that major U.S. cities are experiencing due to Canada’s wildfires, the youth-led Sunrise Movement sent a simple message to Biden on Thursday: “Declare a climate emergency.”
Capito’s legislation is unlikely to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the narrowly Democratic U.S. Senate, but her attempt to bar the president from declaring a climate emergency has previously gained bipartisan support.
Last May, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mark Kelley (D-Ariz.) joined Republicans in approving a nonbinding motion stating that the president “cannot use climate change as a basis for declaring an ‘emergency’ or ‘national disaster.’”
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See also: Canada wildfire air quality red alerts hit Midwest and East Coast ~ By Bill Chappell, National Public Radio, June 29, 2023
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Abysmal air quality expected to persist – we’ve got tips to protect yourself, your fam & your indoor air.
### ~ Canadian Wildfires Continue to Impact Our Area – We’ve Got the Forecast + Tips to Keep Your Family & Indoor Air Healthy
Smoke from Canada’s wildfires continues to impact our local air quality, helping to drive NowCast AQI values in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities into the purple, very unhealthy range Wednesday and today.
Unfortunately, Allegheny County Health Department this afternoon issued this update indicating that conditions could get worse before they get better:
Air conditions in Allegheny County remain poor. The Air Quality Program’s Parkway East monitor recently registered readings of “very unhealthy,” or an AQI of more than 200. Two other monitors, Avalon and Lawrenceville, are registering in the high 190s, or “unhealthy.”
For code purple, or “very unhealthy” air quality, sensitive groups should avoid all physical activity outdoors, rescheduling activities to a time when air quality is better or moving them indoors. For the general public, residents should avoid long or intense activities, consider rescheduling them or moving them indoors.
During a code red, or “unhealthy” air, sensitive groups, such as young children, seniors, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, should avoid long or intense outdoor activities. These individuals should consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors. For the general public, residents should reduce long or intense activities, as well as take more breaks during outdoor activities.
The ACHD’s air quality program will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates, as necessary. Current forecasts are indicating an improvement starting tomorrow and continuing through the weekend.
While ACHD continues to advise residents to seek out its website for the most up-to-date air quality conditions, we don’t.
“ACHD’s website reports air quality based on a 24-hour average; that is not a reflection of current air quality conditions,” GASP Executive Director Campbell explained. “The EPA’s nationwide platform AirNow does report real-time conditions. Given just how poor air quality is today and how quickly we saw it deteriorate overnight, we cannot imagine why ACHD would not promote EPA’s system.”
In addition to the EPA’s AirNow app, we recommend folks follow ACHD, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the National Weather Service for important alerts and warnings.
For tips on how to protect yourself and your family during periods of unhealthy air quality, here’s a great FAQ from the Department of Health.
For tips on how to improve your indoor air quality, check out our friends at ROCIS, who have an amazing tutorial for DIY air filters.
And of course, GASP continues to monitor our air quality conditions and share news, updates, and analysis on our social media accounts. If you haven’t already, give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram for the latest.
>>> LIMITED (FREE) OPPORTUNITY | Attend Smoke School; Get the Same Training as the Health Inspectors. See also: https://www.gasp-pgh.org/
Have you ever been driving, saw a huge plume of industrial pollution snaking its way into the sky, and wondered to yourself, “Well, that looks nasty. I wonder if that’s even permitted,” then we have an opportunity for you.
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