By Judy Sheahan
May 25, 2009

Seattle Nickels Cites Climate Threats at EPA Hearing

By Judy Sheahan

Conference of Mayors Vice President Greg Nickels testified on May 21 at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) field hearing in Seattle on the impacts that greenhouse gas emissions have on communities. Nickels testified that greenhouse gas emissions do pose a danger in the areas of environment, public health, and the economy.

EPA held two public hearings and is accepting public comments until June 23 to determine whether greenhouse gases pose a threat to the “public health and welfare of current and future generations.” These hearings are in response to a Supreme Court ruling, Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007), where the Court ruled that greenhouse gases are considered air pollutants and therefore could be regulated by EPA using the authority of the Clean Air Act. The City of Seattle and The U.S. Conference of Mayors filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in 2007 supporting the position that EPA does have the regulatory authority to govern greenhouse gas emissions.

The Supreme Court held that the EPA Administrator “must determine whether or not emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, or whether the science is too uncertain to make a reasoned decision.”

Below are excerpts of Nickels testimony.

“The Environmental Protection Agency is now posing the question whether greenhouse gas emissions endanger us. As mayor of the City of Seattle, my answer is an emphatic ‘yes.’

For our mountains, this change translates into a 38-46 percent reduction in annual snowpack statewide by 2040. Such a dramatic change will disrupt our hydropower system, which provides 70 percent of our region’s electricity. Simply put, we will face an energy crisis of historic proportions.

Ironically for a city known for its rain, global warming is predicted to bring even more precipitation for Seattle. Scientists predict that the duration and intensity of our storms will increase. We’ve already been experiencing this. In just the past five years, Seattle has suffered two 100-year rains. Our infrastructure was not built for this type of urban flooding. In December 2007, I watched as rivers of water crested over roadways and through Seattle neighborhoods. That month, the Chehalis River flood closed Interstate 5 for four days. Total cost of storm recovery amounted to more than $1 billion across the state. These events are endangering our communities.

As temperatures warm, polar ice caps melt and sea levels rise. As a coastal region, our businesses, residents and recreation spots are at risk of flooding and inundation. In Seattle, we have identified 700 to 1,000 acres of land at risk, including the South Park neighborhood and Harbor Island, a center of the maritime industry. We must take this threat seriously.

As the cold mountain run-off in spring and summer diminishes, our creeks and rivers become warmer. That’s deadly for salmon and other species that are dependent on fresh, cold water for survival. University of Washington scientists predict that by 2080, 35 percent of Western Washington rivers will be too warm for salmon. This may push a northwest icon off the edge of extinction.

The City of Seattle uniquely benefits from our natural wonders, and it has much to lose, but it is also not alone. Cities across the country are harmed by the effects of global warming. New Orleans suffers from sea level rise and storm intensity. Phoenix suffers from intense summer heat and increases in heat-related mortality. Boston suffers from stress on its water and energy systems.

That’s why over 940 Mayors have signed The United States Conference of Mayors Climate Protection agreement. We know that global warming is endangering our cities. We know that we need a Federal partner to help solve this global threat. Whether by regulation or by legislation, it is time for Federal action to curtail greenhouse gas pollution and reduce the danger our residents face from global warming.

On behalf of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, I am here to state emphatically that the effects of climate change endanger the health and welfare of our residents very directly. I urge the EPA to adopt your findings, and move forward in protecting our communities from the dangers of greenhouse gas emissions.”