Congressman Scott Tipton is well aware of the fact that climate change exacerbates extreme weather events, like low snowpack and streamflow, drought and wildfire. He is aware that these extreme weather events have repercussions to our economy and the places we hold dear.

If he cared to research, he could easily discover that areas affected by forest fire nearly doubled as a result of human-caused climate change between 1984 and 2015, and that climate change added an average of nine days per year of high fire potential between 2000 and 2015.

He is aware our public lands are buckling under the strain of climate change. Drought is linked to large-scale tree mortality, and increases the likelihood of insect infestations which in turn promote more frequent wildfires – wildfires that ravage forests and forest ecosystems.

He is aware that wildfire suppression cost $2 billion in 2017, gobbling up a majority of the U.S. Forest Service’s budget and jeopardizing thousands of jobs generated by our recreation economy and our public lands.

He knows that drought harms Colorado’s agricultural industry including wheat, corn and soybean crops.

Given the threat to District 3 in Colorado, why is Tipton not championing to protect us? Instead, he continues to champion the gas and oil industry, touting their benefits and ignoring the climate warming damage of greater greenhouse gas emissions. That’s being part of the problem, not the solution. Is he influenced by his large campaign contributions from the gas and oil industry?

Rebecca Maloney

Durango