Baucus and Whitehouse introduce climate legislation

SAFE Act will address impacts of climate change

WASHINGTON (June 20, 2013)–– Today Senator Baucus and Senator Whitehouse reintroduced the Safeguarding America’s Future and Environment (SAFE) Act, which calls for establishing a federal program to respond to the impacts of climate change on wildlife and natural resources. It was previously introduced in 2011. The bill’s action items include establishing a Natural Resources Climate Adaptation Panel composed of the heads of federal agencies that manage the United States’ natural resources to coordinate federal adaptation efforts, legislatively authorizing the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy and the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, developing climate adaptation plans for each federal agency on the panel and authorizing funds to states for adaptation work.

“This bill recognizes that responding to climate change isn’t just about cutting carbon emissions,” said climate expert Noah Matson at Defenders of Wildlife. “It also means ensuring our wildlife and ecosystems are resilient and can withstand the extreme weather and other climate change impacts we are already experiencing. The two go hand in hand for a safe, healthy environment for wildlife, people and future generations.”

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Contact: Haley McKey, (202)-772-0247, hmckey@defenders.org

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.