Dear Senator,

We the undersigned signatories, leading researchers and practitioners from the various biological and earth science disciplines, are writing to urge the Senate to pass legislation that will reduce U.S. emissions and begin to substantively address the impacts of on our communities, wildlands and this year. The science is clear: we must both reduce greenhouse gas pollutants and safeguard wildlife and natural resources already impacted from climate change. The time to act is now.

The increase in human-caused emissions is responsible for driving climatic changes worldwide, and negatively impacting both human and natural systems. Climate change is already causing serious damage and disruptions to wildlife and natural ecosystems, threatening the collapse of natural systems that cross ecological or biological thresholds. This collapse will result in the loss of the environmental goods and services they provide to society, as well as the loss of the biological diversity that sustains their production. The warming of rivers, streams, lakes and wetland, the changes in natural disturbance regimes and increased incidence of pest and disease outbreaks, and changes in the seasonal timing of both plant and animal life history events such as reproduction, migration, and species ranges are disrupting ecological communities. Profound changes such as the melting polar ice caps and glaciers, acidification of the oceans, rise in sea levels, and an increasing incidence of intensified storms, drought and catastrophic fires will stress natural systems and have devastating implications for people, our treasured landscapes and wildlife. Wildlife, natural resource and water managers will be increasingly challenged by species assemblages and climate-related stressors that have never previously occurred.

It is encouraging to see that the American Power Act begins to not only address the causes of enhanced global warming, but also the resulting impacts associated with climate change due to increased greenhouse gas concentrations already in the atmosphere. But given the unprecedented changes already seen, and the fact that even if greenhouse gas emissions were substantially reduced now, global temperatures will continue to rise and force additional climatic change, which will further impact people and the ecosystems they rely upon. However, in order to give our communities, wildlands and wildlife the best possible chance of surviving in a warming world, significantly greater funding is needed than what is currently allocated in the American Power Act. In addition, this funding must be dedicated, and it must be made available far sooner than 2019, as the bill currently proposes.

Only through sufficient near-term funding will natural resource managers have the necessary tools to strategically and proactively reduce threats to ecosystems and assist natural systems to better adapt to the changing climatic conditions now, and in the foreseeable future. It will require a national effort to work with all the key stakeholders at federal, state, tribal and local levels in a coordinated manner to achieve a balance among the many societal goals and to maintain ecosystem- based services our economy and communities rely upon. This includes the following work:

· Restore and maintain healthy, genetically diverse and viable populations that are geographically connected to allow species to shift in response to climate change. · Identify and institute appropriate monitoring systems and infrastructure and initiate true adaptive management. · Prevent and control non-native invasive species. · Reduce other stressors such as and pollution that threaten the resiliency of ecosystems. · Reduce the risk of catastrophic fires, drought, and flooding through land use planning and strategic resource allocation initiatives. · Protect coastal estuaries and inland wetlands from sea level rise using ecosystem- based management approaches. · Adjust yield and harvest limits in response to changes in productivity due to climate change. · Identify new financial incentives, and collaborative opportunities to work more effectively and at greater landscape-level scale.

Each of these essential actions comes with a significant price tag, and the cost of addressing climate impacts only increases with each year of inaction. Managers of the nation’s wildlife, land and water resources will need billions of dollars annually to develop and implement science-based strategies for conserving wildlife and ecosystems threatened by increased global warming due to human activities. To make this conservation work feasible, any clean energy and climate bill must include substantial dedicated funding that begins immediately. This funding is essential to protecting the wildlife and the biological diversity that maintains the natural ecosystems on which our communities and economy rely.

We thank you for your consideration of this urgent matter.

Daniel C. Abel, Ph.D. Richard Axler, Ph.D. Professor of Marine Science Natural Resources Research Institute Director, CCU Sustainability Initiative – Duluth Coastal Carolina University Robin Baird, Ph.D. Peter Alexander, M.S. Research Biologist Northeast Great Waters Alliance Cascadia Research Collective

Brannon Andersen, Ph.D. Ingrid Barcelo, M.Sc. Professor and Chair Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Paul Bartelt, Ph.D. Co-Director, River Basins Research Initiative Waldorf College Furman University Dr. Dusti Becker, Ph.D., M.Sc. Richard Andrews, M.N.R. Project Coordinator Restoration Ecologist Maui Bird Recovery Project Valentine Land and Timber Jon Belak, M.S. Edward Arnett, Ph.D. Wildlife Biologist Director of Programs The Society Bat Conservation International

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only Steven Bender, M.S. Meade Cadot, Ph.D. Wildlife Biologist, Regional Representative Director of Land Programs National Wildlife Federation Harris Center for Conservation Education

David Benkman, Ph.D. Alejandro Camacho, L.L.M. University of Wyoming Acting Professor of Law University of , Irvine School of Law Nick Bennett, M.S. Staff Scientist Elsa Carlisle, M.S. Natural Resources Council of Senior Director of Restoration Restore America’s Estuaries Robert Beschta, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus Anne Carlson, Ph.D. Forest Ecosystems and Society Climate Associate Oregon State University The Wilderness Society

David Blockstein, Ph.D. Len Carpenter, Ph.D. Conservation Biologist Wildlife Biologist Council of Environmental Deans and Directors Carol Chambers, Ph.D. LeAnne Bonner, M.S. Professor of Wildlife Ecology State Wildlife Grants Coordinator Northern Arizona University Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries F. Stuart Chapin, III, Ph.D. Bethany Bradley, Ph.D. University of Alaska Fairbanks Assistant Professor University of Massachusetts Wendy Chou, Ph.D. Adjunct Lecturer Mary Bremigan, Ph.D. Bucknell University Associate Professor State University Malcolm Cleaveland, Ph.D. Retired from the University of Arkansas Jean Brennan, Ph.D. Senior Climate Change Scientist Patrick Comer, M.S. Defenders of Wildlife Chief Ecologist Nature Serve Mike Burger, Ph.D. Director of Conservation and Science Eric Compas, Ph.D. Audubon New York University of Wisconsin – Whitewater

G. Allen Burton, Ph.D. Jack Cook, M.S. Professor and Director Organizer School of Natural Resources and Environment Ammonoosuc Regional Energy Team Leslie Cornick, Ph.D. William Busby, Ph.D. Associate Professor Kansas Biological Survey Marine Biology and Statistics Alaska Pacific University

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only Molly Cross, Ph.D. Paul Ehrlich, Ph.D. Climate Change Ecologist Bing Professor of Population Studies and Wildlife Conservation Society President Center for Conservation Biology Laura Dane, M.S. University of California, Berkeley Susan Elbin, Ph.D. Patricia M. DeMarco, Ph.D. Director of Conservation Adjunct Professor New York City Audubon Environmental Studies Program University of Pittsburgh Paul Evangelista, Ph.D. Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory David DeSante, Ph.D. Colorado State University President The Institute for Bird Populations William Faber, Ph.D. Natural Resources Instructor Gail Dethloff, Ph.D. Department of Natural Resources Ecologist Central Lakes College National Parks Conservation Association Don Falk, Ph.D. Calvin B. DeWitt, Ph.D. School of Natural Resources Professor University of Arizona Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison Kurt D. Fausch, Ph.D. Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Mike Dombneck, Ph.D. Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology UW System Fellow and Professor Colorado State University University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Chief Emeritus Jorie M. Favreau, Ph.D. US Forest Service Associate Professor of Wildlife Biology Director, Fisheries and Wildlife Science Program Clifford Duke, Ph.D. Paul Smith’s College Director of Science Programs Ecological Society of America Justin Freedman, M.S. South Audubon Society Regan Early, Ph.D. Brown University Gillian Galford, Ph.D. The Earth Institute Naomi Edelson, M.S. Columbia University Senior Program Manager State Wildlife Programs Gene Gardner, M.S. National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Diversity Chief, Wildlife Division Missouri Department of Conservation Aris Efting, Ph.D. Aquatic Ecologist and Assistant Professor Evan Girvetz, Ph.D. University of Nebraska Senior Scientist Global Climate Change Program The Nature Conservancy

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only Betsy Glenn, Ph.D. Michael Hutchins, Ph.D. University of Montana Executive Director and CEO The Wildlife Society Kaitlin Goldstein, M.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Doug Inkley, Ph.D. Senior Scientist Kimberly Hall, Ph.D. National Wildlife Federation Great Lakes Climate Change Ecologist The Nature Conservancy Jenna Jadin, Ph.D. Assistant Director of Government Affairs Richard B. Hamilton, M.S. The Wildlife Society North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Lucinda Johnson, Ph.D. Healy Hamilton, Ph.D. President Director North American Benthological Society Center for Applied Biodiversity Informatics California Academy of Sciences Michael L. Jones, Ph.D. Co-Director J. Christopher Haney, Ph.D. Quantitative Fisheries Center Chief Scientist Michigan State University Defenders of Wildlife Kenneth D. Kimball, Ph.D. Fred Harris, M.S. Director of Research American Fisheries Society Appalachian Mountain Club

Hugh Harwell, M.R.P. Marion Klaus, Ph.D. Ecological Planner, Designer, and Builder Resilient Habitat Leadership Team Sirius Ecovillage Sierra Club

Meredith Hastings, Ph.D. Kimberly Klein, M.S. Brown University Independent Scientist

Jessica Hellmann, Ph.D. Mark Lawrence, Ph.D. Associate Professor Independent Scientist Department of Biological Sciences Heather Leslie, Ph.D. Sharpe Assistant Professor of Environmental Art Hobson, Ph.D. Studies and Biology Professor Emeritus of Physics Center for Environmental Studies & University of Arkansas – Fayetteville Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Brown University Jonathan Hoekstra, Ph.D. Managing Director John Lloyd, Ph.D. Climate Change Program Senior Research Ecologist The Nature Conservancy Ecostudies Institute

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only John Loegering, Ph.D. Patrick McMillan, Ph.D. Certified Wildlife Biologist South Carolina Wildlife State Extension Specialist Associate Professor Ellen McNulty, M.S. University of Minnesota National Wildlife Federation

Thomas Lovejoy, Ph.D. Richard Merritt, Ph.D. The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Professor Economics, and the Environment Michigan State University

Wendy Loya, Ph.D. Brian Miller, Ph.D. Ecologist Executive Director The Wilderness Society Wind River Ranch Foundation

Yiqi Luo, Ph.D. Sterling Miller, Ph.D. Professor of Ecology Senior Wildlife Biologist University of Oklahoma National Wildlife Federation

Gwen MacDonald, B.S. David Mizrahi, Ph.D. Director of Habitat Restoration New Jersey Audubon Society Save the Sound Connecticut Fund for the Environment Susanne Moser, Ph.D. Susanne Moser Research & Consulting Jon MacDounagh-Dumler, Ph.D. University of California – Santa Cruz Michigan State University Dennis Murphy, Ph.D. Jennifer Marlon, Ph.D. University of Nevada University of Oregon Allan Muth, Ph.D. Sherri Mason, Ph.D. Director Associate Professor Deep Canyon Desert Research Center State University of New York – Fredonia University of California – Riverside

John Matthews, Ph.D. Doug Myers, M.S. Coordinator Director of Science Freshwater Climate Change Adaptation People for Puget Sound World Wildlife Federation Robert Nadeau, Ph.D. Gary McCracken, Ph.D. Professor Professor Environmental Science and Public Policy Ecology and Evolutionary Biology George Mason University University of Tennessee James Nations, Ph.D. John McFadden, Ph.D. Vice President Executive Director National Parks Conservation Association Tennessee Environmental Council Jennifer Newmark, M.S. Wildlife Biologist

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only Lawrence Niles, Ph.D. Stuart Pimm, Ph.D. Lead Scientist Doris Duke Chair of Conservation Ecology Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Duke University 2010 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement Barry R. Noon, Ph.D. Professor Mary Pinkerton, Ph.D. Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Dean Biology College of Letters & Sciences Colorado State University University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Bryan Norton, Ph.D. Ron Pulliam, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Regents Professor Emeritus School for Public Policy University of Georgia Georgia Institute of Technology Jan Randall, Ph.D. Reed Noss, Ph.D. Professor Emerita of Biology Professor of Conservation Biology San Francisco State University University of Central Florida Kathleen Regan, M.Sc. Jeffry Parrish, Ph.D. Independent Scientist Executive Director Freedom to Roam James Renn, B.S. Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator Sam Pearsall, Ph.D. Environmental Defense Fund Laura Richard, M.S. Wildlife Biologist Ed Perry, M.S. Nevada Department of Wildlife National Wildlife Federation Christopher Rogers, Ph.D. Kimberly Peters, Ph.D. Associate Professor Director, Research and Monitoring Research Director, Ninnescah Field Station New Jersey Audubon Society Wichita State University Cape May Bird Observancy John Rowden, Ph.D. Jennifer Pett-Ridge, Ph.D. Manager, Citizen Science Staff Scientist New York City Audubon Lawrence Livermore National Lab Steven Running, Ph.D. Spencer Phillips, Ph.D. Professor Vice President, Research University of Montana The Wilderness Society Carl Safina, Ph.D. Steward Pickett, Ph.D. President Distinguished Senior Scientist Blue Ocean Institute Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Stony Brook University

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only H. Reed Sanderson, M.S. Bruce A. Stein, Ph.D. Certified Wildlife Biologist Associate Director University of Arizona Wildlife Conservation & Global Warming National Wildlife Federation William Schlesinger, Ph.D. President Alan Steinman, Ph.D. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Director Annis Water Resources Institute Mark Schwartz, Ph.D. Professor Director, John Muir Institute of the Grand Valley State University Environment University of California, Davis Ray C. Telfair II, PhD Certified Wildlife Biologist Time Seastedt, Ph.D. Professor of Ecology Jonathan Titus, Ph.D. University of Colorado Professor of Biology State University of New York – Fredonia Rodney Siegel, Ph.D. Executive Director A. Spencer Tomb, Ph.D. The Institute for Bird Populations Kansas State University

Erin Singer, M.S. Nellie Tsipoura, Ph.D. Environmental Scientist Senior Research Scientist Aquatic Restoration and Research Institute Director, Citizen Science New Jersey Audubon Society Thomas Sisk, Ph.D. Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary Professor of Ecology Northern Arizona University John C. Tull, Ph.D. Conservation Director R. Douglas Slack, Ph.D. Nevada Wilderness Project Texas A&M University Scott Van Horn, M.S. Elizabeth Fabri Smith, Ph.D. Fisheries Biologist Bureau of Environmental Field Services Retired Kansas Department of Health and Environment North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Timothy M. Smith, Ph.D. John Varley, Ph.D. Associate Professor Senior Research Scientist Director Big Sky Institute NorthStar Initiative for Sustainable Enterprise University of Minnesota Conrad Volz, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. Director Winthrop Staples, III, M.S. Center for Healthy Environments and Colorado State University Communities Graduate School of Public Health Amanda Staudt, Ph.D. University of Pittsburgh Global Warming Scientist National Wildlife Federation

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only Robert Wagner, Ph.D. John Williams, Ph.D. Quantitative Ecological Services, Inc. Bryson Professor of Climate, People, and the Environment John Wallace, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin – Madison Professor Millersville University Chris Wilmers, Ph.D. University of California Jack Watson, Ph.D. Professor of Biological Sciences Wade Worthen, Ph.D. Lees McRae College Furman University

Douglas Wilcox, Ph.D., P.W.S. Doug Young, M.E.S. Empire Innovation Professor of Wetland Science President State University of New York – Brockport South Florida Audubon Society

Institutional Affiliation for Identification Purposes Only