As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents who cherish the state s iconic landscapes and wildlife. Conservationists are encouraging people to get in touch with their local land trusts to be part of the climate solution. Melissa Daruna, executive director of the group Keep it Colorado, said investing in conservation is critical for maintaining the state s vital resources and biodiversity. .
This Memorial Day, state and local leaders are speaking out - calling climate change the battle of our time - crucial to national security. Advocates are calling on President Joe Biden to invoke the Defense Production Act to speed up the transition to renewable energy and phase out dependence on fossil fuels. Mayor Daniel Lee of Culver City is a veteran of the Air Force and the California Air National Guard who currently works as project director at the James Lawson Institute. .
Fifteen conservation groups from Wyoming and across the nation have filed administrative protests challenging the Biden administration s plans to resume oil and gas leasing on public lands as early as June. They re calling for the president to end new leasing in order to protect communities, water and wildlife. Dan Ritzman - lands, water, and wildlife campaign director for the Sierra Club - said the move is critical for the administration to meet its own climate goals. .
The mayor of Huntington, where more than 200 homes were recently damaged by severe flooding, said now is the state s "one chance" to prevent other residents from experiencing the same tragedy. Last week, leaders from across West Virginia gathered in Charleston to coordinate on a new state Flood Protection Plan. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams was there, and he later warned that flooding can wipe out everything people have worked for overnight. .