[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 96 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S8515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CLIMATE CHANGE

 Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I want to take a few minutes 
today to talk about the mounting evidence of climate change. No one is 
saying that there will be an end to the four seasons or that the oceans 
are about to start boiling. But as we consider the new data, it is 
becoming increasing clear that we are being warned about the enormous 
power of humanity to affect our environment. We can either respect our 
surroundings and work in concert with nature, or we can pollute at our 
peril.
  Here are some of the facts from data collected by the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
  June 1998 was the warmest June on record. Temperatures averaged more 
than 1 degree Fahrenheit above the 1880-1997 long-term mean. 
Temperatures over land were even more astonishing--averaging nearly one 
and three quarters of a degree above the long term mean, exceeding the 
old record by several tenths of a degree Fahrenheit.
  June continued an unprecedented string of record breaking 
temperatures. Each month this year has set new all-time record global 
near-surface temperatures.
  The period January-June 1998 was the warmest on record.
  Even though there was a cooling of the Central Pacific Ocean 
temperatures due to the end of El Nino, global ocean temperatures 
during June were still at record high levels.
  Given the high degree of persistence of ocean temperature anomalies, 
scientists tell us it is quite possible that during July we will 
experience the warmest monthly temperatures ever observed on the planet 
for the past 600 years.
  What has this trend meant for the United States? Essentially, 
throughout our country we have been experiencing patterns of weather 
extremes.
  The South experienced record dry conditions, with the driest April 
through June period on record for New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and 
Florida. The drought was most severe in Texas and Florida, where it 
adversely impacted crops, ranges and pastures, and contributed to the 
burning of nearly one-half million acres of Florida land.
  The drought and heat wave has resulted in a number of new records. 
For example, Amarillo Texas had 13 days in June where temperatures were 
over 100 F. With a stable climate, the probability of this recurring is 
once in 200 years, but with continued increases in greenhouse gases, 
the probability would change to a 1 in 6 year event.
  On the other hand, there have been unusually wet conditions in the 
northeast and parts of the midwest during June. For example, rainfalls 
of 5 to 22 inches were observed across most of the central and 
northeastern states with totals exceeding 200 percent of normal across 
the Ohio Valley, New England the upper Mississipi Valley. Parts of the 
Midwest have experienced above normal rainfall since April, and the 
rains frequently fell from strong to severe thunderstorms, leading to 
abnormally frequent episodes of tornadoes, hail, managing winds and 
flash floods. The National Severe Storm Prediction Center reports that 
372 tornadoes were recorded during June in the country, which is nearly 
200 more than average. NOAA's National Hydrologic Information Center 
reports 63 flood-related fatalities for 1998 so far.
  Numerous rainfall records have been broken. For example, more than 17 
inches of rain fell during June at Blue Hill Observatory in 
Massachusetts, breaking all records.
  For the April-June period as a whole, rainfall totals were the 
highest in the historical record dating back to l895 in Rhode Island 
and Massachusetts, the third highest in Tennessee, and the fourth 
highest in Iowa. Rivers in 17 states were near or above flood state as 
of July 6.
  Mr. President, I believe this new data is additional evidence that we 
must act to invest in an insurance policy to reduce the threat of 
global warming.
  President Clinton has proposed to Congress a balanced program to 
arrest greenhouse gases over 5 years through tax credits for energy-
efficient purchases and renewable energy investments, and through new 
research and development programs targeted towards building, industry, 
transportation and electricity. It is a well-conceived plan, and I'm 
disappointed that the Senate bill on EPA appropriations reduces the 
President's request for EPA's portion of this initiative by $91 
million.
  Unfortunately, the efforts of many here in Congress seem to be aimed 
at preventing the government from taking any action on climate change--
even for programs that would be good for our environment and public 
health regardless of whether you believe that climate change will 
happen. The report accompanying the House EPA appropriations bill would 
even prohibit EPA and the Council on Environmental Quality from 
``conducting educational outreach or informational seminars on policies 
underlying the Kyoto Protocol'' until or unless it is ratified.
  Mr. President, let me take a final moment on the floor today to take 
some pride in the path that Connecticut's largest employer, United 
Technologies, is taking in this area. Some of you may have seen the 
full page ad in July 16's Roll Call by UT entitled, Responding to the 
Challenge of Climate Change. ``Our generation's challenge,'' declares 
the ad ``is addressing global climate change while sustaining a growing 
economy--a challenge that demands a serious response from government, 
as well as industry and the public.'' United Technologies has taken a 
major step forward to reduce emissions. By 2007, the company commits to 
cutting its energy and water consumption per dollar sales by 25 percent 
below 1997 levels, with approximately the same reduction in its 
emissions that cause climate change. I congratulate United Technologies 
and its president George David for this great leap forward and urge us 
all to accept the challenge the company has put forth. 

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