White House Launches Capps Proposal for Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience
Press Release
Today, Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) praised the establishment of the White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, an idea stemming from a letter she sent to the President in February urging him to appoint a panel to strengthen federal support for local climate change preparedness and resiliency efforts. Capps was joined in the letter by 39 other Members of Congress. Capps also announced the appointment of Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal to the Task Force. She wrote to the White House in July in support of his nomination.
The Task Force will advise the Administration on key actions the federal government can take to better support local climate change preparedness and resilience-building efforts. Specifically, the Task Force will provide recommendations on removing barriers to resilient investments, modernizing grant and loan programs to better support local efforts, and development information and tools to better serve communities. The Task Force is made up of governors, mayors, county officials and tribal leaders, representing a diverse range of communities (see below for full list of Task Force members).
Capps has long been a champion of helping local communities prepare for the impacts of climate change. She has authored multiple bills, sent letters to the Administration, and spoken of the issue's importance repeatedly as a Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
I am thrilled the Administration is moving forward with my recommendation to establish the Task Force and that the Central Coast will be well represented with Supervisor Carbajal as part of the effort ," Capps said. "Representing a coastal district, I know firsthand the significant impact climate change is already having on the environment and health, safety, and economy of our local communities. This Task Force will help local governments better prepare for the impacts of climate change, one of the most urgent and serious challenges of our time."
"I am honored to be selected to participate on this task force, which addresses one of the most pressing issues facing our nation, state and local community," Carbajal said. "Congresswoman Capps has always been a champion for the County's efforts on this pressing issue, and I thank her for supporting my nomination to this Task Force and for pushing the Administration to set it up in the first place. I look forward to bringing the unique perspective of our Central Coast region to this important effort to address climate preparedness and resilience."
Carbajal was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in March 2004. He is a UCSB graduate and holds a Master's Degree from Fielding University. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Local Government Advisory Committee.
The members of the Task Force include:
State Officials:
Governor Neil Abercrombie (HI)
Governor Jerry Brown (CA)
Governor Eddie Calvo (GU)
Governor Jay Inslee (WA)
Governor Jack Markell (DE)
Governor Martin O'Malley (MD)
Governor Pat Quinn (IL)
Governor Peter Shumlin (VT)
Local Officials:
Mayor Ralph Becker (Salt Lake City, UT)
Mayor James Brainard (Carmel, IN)
Commissioner Paula Brooks (Franklin County, OH)
Supervisor Salud Carbajal (Santa Barbara County, CA)
Mayor Frank Cownie (Des Moines, IA)
Mayor Bob Dixson (Greensburg, KS)
Mayor Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles, CA)
Mayor George Heartwell (Grand Rapids, MI)
Mayor Kristin Jacobs (Broward County, FL)
Mayor Kevin Johnson (Sacramento, CA)
Mayor Michael Nutter (Philadelphia, PA)
Mayor Annise Parker (Houston, TX)
Mayor Patsy Parker (Perdido Beach, AL)
Mayor Madeline Rogero (Knoxville, TN)
Mayor Karen Weitkunat (Fort Collins, CO)
Mayor Dawn Zimmer (Hoboken, NJ)
Tribal Officials:
Karen Diver, Chairwoman, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (MN)
Reggie Joule, Mayor, Northwest Arctic Borough (AK)
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