The Mountaineers
Whether out in the backcountry or your own neighborhood, Mountaineers see and experience the worsening impacts of the climate crisis in our communities and the natural landscapes we love. As the Pacific Northwest faces earlier and more intense wildfire seasons, unprecedented heat waves, severe droughts, and more frequent flooding, the need to fight climate change is more urgent than ever.
The last time we had an opportunity to pass major climate legislation was ten years ago, and we can’t afford to wait another ten years. The next couple of months offer a tight window to get something passed through Congress, and we need your voice now.
While the climate crisis can feel like an overwhelming problem beyond individual impact, there is a huge role for the outdoor recreation community to play, and The Mountaineers remains committed to securing meaningful climate solutions.
Last year, Mountaineers spoke up in support of a $555 billion package of climate investments, but unfortunately that legislation stalled in the Senate. Congressional leadership has now agreed that they want to pass climate legislation and invest in renewable energy, and stars are aligning to hopefully pass a package of investments this spring. This legislation, which could move through a process called budget reconciliation, would make significant progress in the fight against climate change and yield many benefits for our public lands.
The package could include investments in the Forest Service that would enable better fire mitigation, forest restoration, and conservation strategies; a Civilian Climate Corps to maintain and restore public lands; investments in renewable energy; and funding to make public lands and waters more resilient to climate change.
Serious efforts to address climate change can’t wait. This is our best chance to mount a meaningful, game-changing response to the climate crisis, as well as significantly invest in our public lands and waters. The Mountaineers and our members have a powerful voice with legislators, as we can tell personal stories of how climate change is affecting our outdoor adventures and the places we love to explore.
That’s why our conservation team and Outdoor Alliance Washington partners met with staff from Senator Patty Murray’s office this week to reiterate our support for a federal budget reconciliation package that includes strong climate investments like forest restoration, clean energy, and a Civilian Climate Corps. The one-two punch of messages from constituents and coalition meetings with congressional staff can really work well.
Fortunately, Senator Murray and most members of our Washington State congressional delegation are supportive of a climate package, but with many competing priorities, they need to hear from the outdoor community to ensure that climate and public lands are prioritized during upcoming negotiations.
Even if you’ve previously contacted Congress about this issue, we hope you send another message to your senators and representative using our updated easy action tool. Personalizing the text does in fact make a difference, and helps to underscore why urgent action to address climate change is important to you.
Speak up for our climate future and tell your members of Congress to take bold action to prioritize climate solutions today!
