Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT) is the chair of the subcommittee on the environment, the congressional group in charge of the EPA, climate change research, and all activities related to climate. It is therefore extremely troubling that Stewart denies the basic findings of climate science. Stewart has said that he is not convinced that climate change is a threat, despite the fact that the EPA, NOAA, and all of the climate science and scientists that he now oversees, disagree with him. In fact 98% of actual climate scientists disagree with his views on climate science.
At a recent town hall meeting, a group of activists confronted Stewart on his ill-informed views on climate science. The activists, working with the group Forecast the Facts, presented Stewart with a 17,000 signature petition demanding the Chairman of the Science Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment stop using his seat to promote climate denialism. They also held up banners reading Believe It Or Not Climate Change Is Not Going Away, 97% of Say Climate Change is Human Caused. We Trust Them, and Stewart Denies While Utah Burns.”
The group of activists included high school student Sara Ma. “Many people think climate change is a future problem for my generation to solve later, but its not. The data shows that it is here, it’s happening and it has a cost,” said Ma, a 17-year-old senior at West High School. Utahns are particularly upset by Stewarts ignorance on climate issues due to the record wildfire season they endured last year. Wildfires did over $50 million dollars in damage to Utah in 2012.
Stewart’s climate denial is made more suspicious by his close ties to carbon polluting industries. His brother and campaign manager, Tim Stewart, is a Washington, DC lobbyist for fossil fuel corporations. In addition, he has received more campaign donations from oil and gas companies than any other single source.
See more pictures from the confrontation with climate science denier Chris Stewart
