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Saturday, January 22, 2011
Schmitt Unfit To Head Up N.M. Energy Department
By Dr. Michael Mccally
Santa Fe resident
The nomination by Gov. Susana Martinez of Harrison "Jack" Schmitt to head the Department of Energy Minerals and Natural Resources is deeply troubling and I urge the New Mexico Legislature to deny him confirmation.
Although Schmitt has a doctorate in geology and served as a scientist-astronaut in the Apollo program, his long and well-documented advocacy of climate denial makes him unfit to be our state's leader in natural resource policy.
A consensus of scientists, academics, business leaders, government officials and politicians in New Mexico and around the world acknowledge the science of climate change and are developing ways to reduce man-made greenhouse gas emissions and limit the impacts of global warming. The broad debate on which interventions are best, and their likely costs and benefits, has been hotly contested in the United States and internationally. But denial and inaction is not an option.
What exactly to do, and when and how regarding climate is perhaps our nation's most pressing policy problem. New Mexico needs leaders. not deniers in this critical arena.
New Mexico with its natural and human resources including abundant wind and sunshine is positioned to lead in the coming new energy economy. New Mexico is recognized nationally for its global warming initiatives including the recent approval by the Environmental Improvement Board of a simple statewide carbon cap on emissions by the largest emitters and efforts by the New Mexico Environment Department to join the Western states carbon cap and trade initiative.
Both of these important accomplishments are threatened by the anti-environmental stance of the Martinez administration. The governor has recently dismissed the EIB. To what degree the new administration will also take down protections of air and water quality is a grave concern.
I am a public health physician and environmental health scientist. When I worked for the U.S. Air Force I conducted research on human responses to adverse environments, including heat, in support of the space program, work now relevant to climate change science. I am active in both the international effort to increase physician involvement in the public health response to climate change and in the green building business sector.
Climate change is occurring in New Mexico. New Mexico has warmed 1.8 degrees F since 1976. Temperatures are expected to increase an additional 2 degrees F by 2040 and 4 degrees by the end of the century.
The effects of climate change in New Mexico are numerous and include longer and more frequent heat waves, elevated ground level ozone, higher pollen counts, increasing morbidity from higher asthma rates, increasing mortality from cardiopulmonary disease, proliferation of mountain pine beetles, more frequent and more intense wildfires, increased risk of Hantavirus and San Joaquin Valley fever outbreaks, further loss of fresh water supplies as well as increased frequency and duration of droughts. We are already witnessing growing frequency and intensity of weather extremes accompanied by disease outbreaks and infestations that harm humans, wildlife, forests, crops and water quantity and quality.
The burning of fossil fuels has caused temperatures to rise and is changing the very climate that has supported human civilization since its inception. We need to enact meaningful legislation and regulation to take up this crucial challenge.
The good news is that enormous economic benefits can be derived by rapidly increasing the development of clean energy. The challenge of climate change presents an opportunity to build a clean and healthy engine of growth in the 21st century. Schmitt will not lead us to the economic, health and social benefits of a clean energy economy. He should not be confirmed as secretary of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources.
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