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For Immediate Release, Nov. 2, 2012

Contact: Rose Braz, (510) 435-6809, rbraz@biologicaldiversity.org

Keene, N.H., Joins National Campaign Calling for Climate Change Action  

In Frankenstorm's Wake, Keene Becomes 40th City to Urge Action Against Greenhouse Gas Pollution 

KEENE, N.H.— As America copes with Hurricane Sandy’s destruction, Keene, N.H., became the 40th city to join a campaign urging the Environmental Protection Agency to use the Clean Air Act to cut the greenhouse gas pollution raising extreme weather risk. The Keene City Council passed a resolution Thursday, joining cities such as Pittsburgh, Chicago and Detroit that are part of the Center for Biological Diversity’s national Clean Air Cities campaign.  

“Keene was one of the first cities in the country to start tackling climate change, so we’re proud to support use of the Clean Air Act to reduce greenhouse gas pollution,” said Jim Duffy, one of the Keene councilmembers who introduced the Clean Air Cities resolution. “We need to move fast to cut carbon emissions to avoid increasing the risk of damaging extreme weather like Hurricane Irene and Hurricane Sandy.”

Hurricane Sandy, dubbed the “Frankenstorm,” has drawn attention to extreme weather concerns. Global warming loads storms with more energy and more rainfall, scientists say. A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that Katrina-magnitude Atlantic hurricanes have been twice as likely in warm years as in cold years. Global ocean temperatures hit their second-highest level on record in September, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

“Keene’s leaders deserve enormous credit for speaking up and taking action on climate change,” said Rose Braz, the Center’s climate campaign director. “We know that global warming is making storms stronger. The threat will keep growing until we start taking effective action against greenhouse gas pollution. To avert a climate catastrophe, we need to make full use of the Clean Air Act.”

The Center’s Clean Air Cities campaign is working around the country to encourage cities to pass resolutions supporting the Clean Air Act and using the Act to reduce carbon in our atmosphere to no more than 350 parts per million, the level scientists say is needed to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Similar resolutions have been approved in Albany, N.Y.; Berkeley, Santa Monica, Culver City, Arcata, Oxnard, Santa Cruz, Richmond, San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Pa.; Tucson, Ariz.; Boone, N.C.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Milwaukee and Madison, Wis.; Cambridge and Northampton, Mass.; Cincinnati and Oberlin, Ohio; Santa Fe, N.M.; Kansas City, Mo.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Miami, Pinecrest, Tampa and Gulfport, Fl.; Chicago, Ill.; Teton County, Wyo.; Eugene, Ore.; Boulder, Colo.; Burlington, Vt.; and Detroit, Mich.; Wilmington, Del.; Providence, R.I.; Gary, Ind., and Woodbridge, N.J. Several other cities around the country will be considering resolutions over the next few months.

Learn more about the Center’s Clean Air Cities campaign and get the facts about the Clean Air Act.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 450,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


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