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Westchester County, NY | November 6, 2007 Election |
Protecting the Environment & Combating Climate ChangeBy Donald R. MarchCandidate for Legislator; Westchester County; Legislative District 7 | |
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Environmental preservation and development of a robust effort to address the challenge of climate change will be key priorities.Today, Westchester County faces a number of significant environmental challenges. One of the foremost challenges is climate change. Climate change, in which the global temperature is increasing, confronts the county with a rising sea level and wetter climate. These changes will likely bring adverse ecological and human implications. Earlier this year, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted an accelerating rise in the sea level. In the 1961-2003 timeframe, the sea level rose about 1.8 millimeters per year. During the 1993-2003 period, the sea level rose at a rate of 3.1 millimeters per year. The IPCC also found, "The average atmospheric water vapor content has increased since at least the 1980s over land and ocean as well as in the upper troposphere... Significantly increased precipitation has been observed in eastern parts of North and South America, northern Europe and northern and central Asia." In the local area, the frequency of daily events in which 3" or more precipitation falls has almost doubled. In the 1876-1970 period, such events occurred once every 23.8 months. Since 1971, they have been taking place every 12.3 months. Although natural cycles might play some role in the ongoing climate change, "most" of the recent change has "very likely" been driven by human activities. The latest projections indicate that the region is likely to face warmer temperatures and increased precipitation as the climate continues to change. These findings suggest that policymakers need to develop programs to slow the growth in greenhouse gas emissions and then dramatically reduce such emissions. At the same time, they need to develop policies that mitigate the consequences of the climate change that is likely to occur before the rise in temperatures comes to an end, possibly far into the future. Federal, State, and Local policymakers will all need to play a role. Wetlands play a crucial role in filtering pollutants before they reach watershed areas and other water bodies. Wetlands also help prevent or reduce flooding, control sediment and erosion, recharge groundwater and aquifers, and provide a habitat to a diverse variety of wildlife. The Sound Shore area is home to the largest salt marsh in New York State outside of Long Island, the Marshlands Conservancy in Rye. The marsh is filled with waders, shorebirds, rails, wrens, turkeys, deer, and more. It is among the county's principal birding areas. Nevertheless, the marsh, along with many of the county's wetlands, is facing degradation. Since 1974, the Rye Marshlands Conservancy has witnessed a loss of 31% of its area. Nearly all of its southwestern section has disappeared. In recent years, it has been shrinking at an accelerating rate. From 1926-1974, it experienced losses that averaged 0.35% per year. Since 1974, its average annual losses have amounted to 1.2%. A rising sea level coupled with development practices have contributed to this outcome. As County Legislator, I will pursue such a balanced approach. At the same time, I will work to address the foremost environmental challenges that currently confront Westchester County.
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