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Quigley Statement on #RepInTheRockies Day 1

May 31, 2017

COLORADO – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as Vice Chair of the Sustainably Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC), released the following statement recapping his first day of #RepInTheRockies, a three-day climate change tour in Rocky Mountain National Park:

"Yesterday, I kicked off my "Rep. In the Rockies" visit, giving me the unique opportunity to witness the devastating impacts of climate change firsthand and discuss ways to combat the threats it creates with leading scientists and researchers. Meanwhile, President Trump is expected to announce the United States' withdraw from the historic Paris Agreement, a global accord aimed at protecting our earth from climate-harming greenhouse gases. It is an ironic setting to hear such disastrous news.

"My first day on the trails of Rocky Mountain National Park made the importance of this international pact – and America's role in its fulfillment – even more clear. I visited the site of the Fern Lake Fire, one of three major fires that have occurred in the park in the last seven years. I learned that Rocky Mountain National Park has been the site of more wildfires in the past ten years than in the previous 100. My hike around Bear Lake also revealed the devastation that bark beetles are having on the native tree populations, which play a critical role in our ecology, our history, and future preservation. Our committed Park Rangers are working to address invasive species threats by cultivating seeds in greenhouses to be planted in high-traffic areas. I applaud their efforts, but we must do more to support their work and protect these national treasures – and all of our public lands – for future generations. Unfortunately, President Trump's expected announcement will do just the opposite."

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