Mayors from both major political parties are taking steps to deal with the impacts of climate change on their communities, focusing on the public health effects that concern constituents rather than arguing about the science. At the June annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the municipal leaders agreed to take local action to reduce energy use, prepare for climate effects and support grassroots conservation efforts.
The Mayors’ climate agreement called on federal and state governments to enact bipartisan legislation, policies and programs that can support local initiatives to fight climate change. One of the Mayors’ top priorities is increasing investment in state revolving funds to update the nation’s water infrastructure.
The Mayors also approved a “Resolution in Support of Investing in Our Nation’s Water Infrastructure in Order to Create Jobs, Grow Local Economies and Promote Climate Resilience,” in which the Mayors:
- call on Congress and the White House to recognize water infrastructure as a critical national asset in need of immediate attention and prioritize investments needed to bring the nation’s water systems up to a state of good repair;
- urge Congress to significantly increase access to grants and low-cost capital, including but not limited to increased investments in State Revolving Funds, pilot programs such as the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority, infrastructure banks, and others, to accelerate investment in water infrastructure projects across the country; and
- urge Congress to support workforce development programs in the water sector that will help cities prepare for a rapidly retiring workforce and help prepare the next generation of workers for quality employment opportunities in the water sector.n