July 2012 Is Hottest on Record

Washington (August 8, 2012) – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) today announced that July 2012 was the hottest in the contiguous United States since recordkeeping began in 1895. Drought conditions expanded to cover nearly 63 percent of the lower 48 states and wildfires burned two million acres in July, a half a million above the average. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, today called on Republican leaders to take action on climate change solutions, including extending the Production Tax Credit for the wind industry. The Production Tax Credit is set to expire at the end of this year for the American wind industry, which could lead to 40,000 pink slips for American workers.

“The hottest July on record, crop-killing drought and scorching wildfires should be enough to light a fire under the feet of Mitt Romney and Republican leaders to support climate change solutions,” said Rep. Markey. “But the G.O.P is too busy carrying water for big oil companies who are pocketing billions in taxpayer subsidies at the expense of clean energy like wind. It’s time for Republicans to end their opposition to extending the Production Tax Credit and start working to blow out global warming with clean wind power.”

The American Wind Energy Association recently announced that U.S. wind power has reached 50 gigawatts of electric generating capacity - the equivalent of nearly 13 million homes, or as many as in Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Virginia, Alabama and Connecticut combined.