Washington, D.C. – On Friday, May 31st, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL), Chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, took a tour of Ventura County to discuss the various ways climate change is already affecting and will continue to impact different sectors of the region. Congresswoman Brownley and Chair Castor visited Naval Base Ventura County – Point Mugu, held a roundtable discussion at the Port of Hueneme, and toured Houweling’s Tomatoes in Camarillo.
“From our prolonged drought to the disastrous Thomas and Woolsey Fires, to the risks of rising sea levels on our coastal lands, Ventura County residents know that the climate crisis is already impacting our lives,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “I would like to thank Congresswoman Castor for allowing me the opportunity to show her the important work that is happening in Ventura County to address the climate crisis. Our community is strong, resilient, and innovative, and it was a pleasure to show her firsthand what is happening to mitigate against the threats that climate change poses and to build a stronger, cleaner, and more sustainable economy.”
“When it comes to the climate crisis, we are all in this together. Every time I visit with another member of Congress, I’m struck by the shared challenges we face from climate change whether that’s flooding on our coasts or increasingly dangerous wildfires. We need to help each other protect the places we know and love and we need to work on climate policies that dramatically cut carbon pollution,” said Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair, Congresswoman Kathy Castor. “I’m so happy to have Representative Brownley on our committee and I’m excited to get back to work with her in Washington so we can keep advancing climate solutions and getting people the help they need to grow more resilient in the face of the climate crisis.”
“As the Greenest Port in the United States, we are continually propelling our operations forward to become greener and cleaner. We are honored to lead our county in implementing green technologies and practices that will be the new standard for ports around the world,” said Oxnard Harbor District President Jess Herrera. “The roundtable discussion on climate change was a time to reflect on how the industries throughout our county are preparing for increased weather events in the future and changes to our everyday lives. I applaud Congresswoman Brownley and Congresswoman Castor for their leadership in addressing this pressing issue.”
CEO and Port Director Kristin Decas stated, “It’s a distinct honor to host a roundtable with our Congresswoman and the Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. We are committed to rolling up our sleeves and explore innovative solutions to create resiliency to climate change.”
Naval Base Ventura County
While visiting Naval Base Ventura County, Brownley and Castor met with Captain Jeff Chism, Commanding Officer of Naval Base Ventura County, to discuss the base’s first-of-its-kind partnership with The Nature Conservancy on coastal resiliency and about the base’s award-winning work on restoring the wetlands. These efforts are important not only for protecting NBVC from rising sea levels but also to ensure the base’s military readiness and operational capacity. Additionally, Brownley, Castor, and Captain Chism discussed the Navy’s on-going work to make NBVC more energy efficient.
Port of Hueneme
During their stop at the Port of Hueneme, which received the distinction of Greenest Port of the Year in 2017, Brownley and Castor met with Port officials to discuss how the Port is working to reduce emissions and provide opportunities for Port customers to reduce emissions as well.
At the Port, Brownley and Castor held a roundtable discussion with stakeholders to discuss climate change impacts and solutions to address the climate crisis.
In attendance were:
- Jess Herrera, Oxnard Harbor District President
- Kristin Decas, CEO and Port Director of the Port of Hueneme
- Dave Stone and John Salvate, Assistant Chiefs of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
- Alyssa Mann, Project Director of The Nature Conservancy
- Karen Schmidt, Regional Affairs Manager of the Clean Power Alliance
- Dave Pederson, General Manager of Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
- Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director of Climate Resolve
Houweling’s Tomatoes
During their visit to Houweling’s Tomatoes, a family-owned, world-renowned greenhouse tomato grower in Camarillo, Brownley and Castor met with CEO Kevin Doran and senior management officials to discuss Houweling’s agricultural innovations that have increased tomato yields and substantially reduced water use.
View photos of the tour, here.
Issues: 116th Congress, Energy and Environment, Environment, Environmental Protection, Jobs, Economy, and Small Business, Local Issues, Transportation and Infrastructure