For Immediate Release
Contact: Peter Rafle, Senate EPW
(202) 228-3102 dir./(202) 302-7086 cell

BOXER: GLOBAL WARMING THREATENS WILDLIFE AND LOCAL ECONOMIES

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, described global warming as a threat to wildlife, and an economic issue in California and across the nation. She delivered her remarks at a hearing on “Global Warming and Wildlife” convened by the EPW Subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection.

“It is a sad statement on the health of the planet when such a majestic species as the polar bear could be lost due to human activities,” said Senator Boxer. “But global warming’s impacts on wildlife do not just affect individual species—they have a tremendous impact on our economy. From sport-fishing on the North Coast of California to big game viewing in the Sierra Nevada, biodiversity is one of our most valuable natural resources.”

“In short, biodiversity is big business. Curbing global warming will save thousands of California jobs and maintain many important industries and our way of life.”

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2001, more than 7.2 million people spent nearly $5.7 billion on wildlife viewing, hunting and fishing in California, directly supporting 113,422 California jobs.**

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** U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Commerce,
U.S. Census Bureau. 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.