Members of the House Energy and Power Subcommittee issued mixed reviews of President Obama’s climate policies during a hearing last week, but EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy noted how they could help communities prepare for the impacts of global climate change.
Republican subcommittee leaders organized the hearing to review the Obama Administration’s Climate Action Plan – a strategy announced this summer to reduce U.S. carbon emissions, prepare the country for climate change impacts and lead international efforts to fight climate change. Many Republicans on the panel questioned the economic costs of the plan and other initiatives that would have EPA set new emissions standards for power plants.
While climate resiliency and the adaptation needs of water systems were not a major topic of discussion, Administrator McCarthy testified that EPA’s efforts to build climate resilience will include “ensuring the security of our freshwater supplies [and] protecting our water utilities.”
Several Democratic subcommittee members also noted the importance of climate resilience in the water sector. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), for example, told of the risks facing her state’s freshwater supplies from saltwater intrusion and sea level rise, and Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) said the nation needs “an upfront investment” in resiliency measures. Rep. Capps is the House sponsor of water utility resiliency legislation that was also introduced in the Senate last week (see related story).