The End of Snow

Floor Speech

Mr. HUFFMAN. Madam Speaker, there was a deeply troubling story this Sunday in The New York Times, entitled, ``The End of Snow.''

Like all of you, I have been cheering on our Olympians in Sochi, particularly in the snow-related events. But as this article notes, climate change is threatening the very concept of Winter Olympics and snow sports in general.

Current models project a 7-degree rise in global temperatures by the year 2100, leaving winters drier and our mountains bare of snow. Of the 19 cities that have hosted Winter Olympics, only 10 might still be cold enough by 2050 to host them again.

Warmer winters and less snow will be disastrous to the United States' $66 billion ski industry. Until this weekend, California had just 12 percent of its average snowpack. Thankfully, it snowed in the Sierras, bringing some needed relief.

But one snowstorm in California and another on the east coast does not solve our bigger, long-term climate crisis. Climate change will impact our lives in every way. Let's get to work. Let's reduce greenhouse gases and prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

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