June 2, 2014 Contact: Steve Moyer 703-284-9406 

TU Welcomes Clean Air Rules that will 

Protect Trout and Salmon 

CLEAN AIR ACT PROPOSAL WILL REDUCE CARBON POLLUTION THAT IS 

ALREADY IMPACTING TROUT AND SALMON HABITAT: 

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Trout Unlimited today thanked the Em ironmental Protection Agency for its 

strong prnposal to reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Trout Unlimited's scientists 

and their partners have already begun to document the impacts from climate change on trout and salmon 

acn.)sS the country. 

"Trout and salmon are <llread_\ being threatened b) n changing cli111atc.·- said Jack \Villiams. senic1r 

scicnti:--.1 /~)r Twut t 1nlimited. ··fv1any scientific nsscssmcnh. including Tll's P\Y!l rcscarLh. ~hP\\ that 

nwrc frequent and intense 1lol)(b and drougl1ts. warming\\ atn kmperatures. \\ ildfires. and ()\her 

h1mbcapc changes haYC and \Yi]J C~)Jltinuc to impact :..d!lle or our lllOq ]l)\'Cd tr<)Ut and :-.a]lllOil .;,trcam::;." 

A r_~-~-~mb_·j)ubJi?hed study shl~,\~d that nati\ e cutthroat trout in the Flathead Ri\ cr in l\1ontana hm·e 

increasingly been hybridizing with introduced minbO\\ trout as :-;treams ha\'e warmed and water tlO\\ s 

decreased. conditions better suited for non-native fish.;\ stmb co_n<l_t_l~l~(_l___l_~_y__I1L iq ;_o ]_! predicted tllat 

across the \\,..est. suitahle habitat for these cutthroat trout could decrease by .50 pL·rcent b) 2080. 

··B~· removing barriers to fish passage thnt also increase flonU risk. improving irrigatinn efficiency. and 

making degraded streams more resilient. we'' i!l continue to do \\drk ''e"ve ah\[t)'S done that is beneficial 

to fish and human communities regardless of\\ hat happening to the climate··. said Chris \Vood. CEO and 

President of Trout Unlimited. "HoweYer. at the end of the day. if carbon p~)llution continues unabated. \\e 

stand to lose much of the progress we"ve made for trout and salmon. leaving behind fe\\·er fishing 

opportunities for future generations." 

TU has a histor) of supporting the Clean Air Act as a toP I tl) pwtcct tr~nn when :-.Ptllld ~cicnce dictates 

action is nccessar.:. In 1990. strongly hi-paiiisan amendments \\CIT made t(_) the Clca!l Air Act to n.:cluce 

the acid rain cau')ing j)(Jilution \\'hich had been .;;ig.nificantly damaging hroul-. twut habitat across tlK 

Appnlachians. In the nwre them 2tl.:ear~ since the progral1l ''<:!:-. illlplemcnted. acid rain depn:-.itilm has 

LkcrL'a~ed by 54 percent nt lcs~ than a quarter ufthe pr~.-dictcd cost nfthc program. allowing 111a11} trnut 

:-;treams in the Last to reel)\ Cr. TU belic\CS ~-1 \\L'il-cra!tcd carhll!l pollutil)ll prl)_~~ram c~m achie\e similar 

benefits fnr trout and salmon. TL scientists and policy experts\\ illr-c\ ic\\' card~ull: the f~ P . .J\ pn)pnsal and 

''ill prn\ ide comments tP the ag~.:·nc: in the corning lllllllth:-.. 

Truu! l ·:n!imif,·d i.~ til(' lUll ion·.~ o!de.~! tllld lcli',':!.L'.'f dJ/dlruhT/Islh'l"il'.' cull.'l'ITU!iun orguni-:u!ion 

d<·dil·utl·d to <"01/SL'ITing. Jil"ilh'<'!ing (0/(/ rl'.'-!uring .\'urt/1. /mcri<·u ·_,.Trout U!hl.\(lllnon am/ tl~t·ir 

ll·ufenlh'd~. ;:ollmr {l on Fih·l·h(luk uud {ll i!!1'1". uml ,-;~·if II\ uu!inc u! !!I org 
4. Under Trout Unlimited's direction, work in partnership with other TU chapters and state councils, 

sportsmen's !,'TOUps, academic communities, green and civic organizations to educate ourselves and 

others and take effective action on climate change. Strategize and work locally, regionally, nationally 

and globally. Comply with TU's non-profit restrictions on political action. 

5. Encourage committee members, TU fishers and the public to learn more about climate change and 

its projected impacts. Educate ourselves on how outdoor sportsmen- hunters, fishers, hikers, bikers, 

birders -are responding to climate change. Invite all to become active on climate change. 

6. Actively support and defend UGA faculty working on climate change, the world's climate scientists 

and the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change. 

Action Plan 

1. Complete ORCTU climate committee mission statement, goals and action plan for 2012-13. Draft a 

five year plan through 2016. Consider our mission, goals and action plan a "living document," to be 

amended as needed. 

2. Create a Climate Change Book Club and environmental discussion group, with monthly meetings to 

coincide with committee meetings. 

3. Help create and support the Georgia Climate Change Coalition, Athens-based but with statewide 

reach, and attend GC3 events 

4. Recruit and welcome new members for ORCTU. As needed, update ORCTU' s huge membership 

roster (nearly 500 members). Resurrect the chapter's phone bank and supplement emails with phone 

calls. Exchange fishing trips and programs with South Georgia ORCTU members. 

5. Send monthly articles on climate change and committee activities to Fly Paper, ORCTU's award 

winning newsletter. Same with website announcements. 

6. Work closely with faculty, professional staff and students at the University of Georgia. Focus hard 

on young people for fishing, conservation, climate change outreach. 

7. Participate in the Eco-film Festival, Earth Day, other Athens and Georgia conservation/green events. 

Table and actively recruit ORCTU members at such events. 

8. Promote "best practices" energy and water savings measures and conservation tips that fishers and 

citizens can employ in the home and workplace. Encourage local initiatives that inform, motivate and 

em power citizens. 

For further information, see www.orctu.org; also back issues of Fly Paper. See also www.tu.org. 

By Rich Rusk, chairman -~-~s:hf:-, <.t / 

Climate Change Committee 

Oconee River Chapter Trout Unlimited 

480 Stanton Way; Athens, GA 30606 

706-354-0321; 706-202-7802 cell; richrusk@charter.net 
Oconee River Chapter Trout Unlimited 

Climate Change Committee - mission, goals, action plan 

Our Mission 

In working to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their 

watersheds, ORCTU's climate change committee supports Trout Unlimited's two pronged approach: 

reduce carbon emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and invest in protecting and 

restoring habitats so that cold water fisheries can withstand impacts. By focusing on fish, through 

education, advocacy and action, we will work in partnership with all citizens and stakeholders to 

promote solutions and adaptations to the climate crisis. 

History 

Witnessing recent drought years with fingerlings dying in North Georgia hatcheries and 85 degree 

Upper Chattahoochee River temperatures killing mature trout, some fly fishers in Georgia's Oconee 

River Chapter Trout Unlimited (ORCTU) called their national office, asking for help. 

TU National sent climate intern Scott Laeser, who spoke at ORCTU's Nov. 2010 meeting (for nearly 

two hours) on projected impacts on North American trout and salmon. 

"Scott nailed it," recalls member Rich Rusk. "Nobody fell asleep or walked out. We formed a 

climate change committee and have been working ever since." 

"We promised our board of directors that we would focus on the fish and not polarize our chapter 

over this tragically controversial issue," continued Rusk. "We pledged to 'make welcome' all 

members, whatever their views." 

For a February 22, 2011 program, TU National sent staffer Zach Cockrum to address climate change 

at a UGA panel discussion, "Building an Effective Climate Change Coalition for Athens." Over I 00 

persons attended. Zach was terrific. The Georgia Climate Change Coalition was born that evening. 

For two years, ORCTUs climate committee members have worked hard to educate themselves, 

receive training, and prepare power point programs and talks about climate change tor varied 

audiences. This effort is on-going. 

"Our volunteers work hard on stream improvements," said then-ORCTU president Randy Elmore. 

"But we must move with greater urgency on this massive threat to North American cold water 

fisheries ... We need to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate efforts to find solutions." 

Goals and Objectives 

1. Actively support all ORCTU initiatives -monthly meetings, fundraising banquets, take-kids-fishing 

events, fly casting and fly tying lessons, Back the Brookie and stream enhancement work projects, 

Trout in the Classroom and river cleanups. In other words, support TU's entire program. 

2. Host regular committee meetings that are open to all TU members and the public Send invitations 

and agendas, take minutes and record all decisions. Report monthly to ORCTU board of directors. 

Seek TU National assistance and direction. as needed. 

3. Invite all citizens to our public prob>Tams- including critics of climate science- respect all voices 

and proceed carefully on this heavily politicized issue. Become a unifying voice not divisive-- within 

our chapter and community. With TU's emphasis on coalition building, work to broaden a climate 

action constituency beyond the traditional envmmmental movement 
I' 

II 

Time 

o I_n~lustry 

op1n1on on "'l~ rna+ 0 chang· D \._; lLLi L0 l.' l · · L 0 

..olll CRAIG MATHEWS. 

YVON CHOUINARD, 

TOM ROSENBAUER & 

TODD TANNER 

T ITS HEART, fly fishing is about connections. When we wade into a handsome trout stream or stalk across a ·vast 

bonefish flat, we hope tO touch something elemerital, something that resonates deep inside. Rather than sitting in 

front of our TV sets or viewing nature 

through a window, we immerse ourselves in the world around us. The sunshine, the currents, the breeze, and the intricate dance 

of life itself become more obvious, more personal, more 

real. And when we're graced with a trout, tarpon, or a 

steelhead on the end of our line, we can't help but give 

thanks for such an incredible gift. 

Sadly, our friends and neighbors don't always share 

our passion for the outdoors. Nor, we're afraid, do they 

always understand the importance of healthy landscapes. 

We live, as the great conservationist Aldo Leopold once 

pointed out, in a world of wounds, 'and because anglers 

tend to see things more clearly-because we choose to 

wade deep rather than sitting on the bank-those wounds 

are obvious. The garbage lying next to the river trail, the 

sheen of oil glinting in the sunlight, the clearcut weeping 

topsoil into the natal salmon stream ... all these affronts, 
and a thousand others, cut deep and 

leave emotional scars. It's the rare fly 

fisher who doesn't feel the bad as-well 

as the good. 

This is why we work so hard to 

protect our fisheries. ·whether it's 

planting bankside willows or standing up against the Pebble Mine, we 

do what we can for our landscapes 

and our waterways. 

\X"e don't win every fight, in fact, 

it sometimes seems like we lose far 

more than vve should, but there's 

simply too much at stake to sit quietly on the sidelines. Especially when 

it comes to the single threat that will 

impact every single angler: climate 

change. 

People inject more than 30 billion 

tons of C02 into the atmosphere every 

year. All that carbon dioxide changes the chemistry of our atmosphere 

and ,.:varms our planet. That's not conjecture, that's scientific fact. An overwhelming majority (97%) of climate 

scientists agree >vith the world's most 

prestigious scientific organization, 

the U.S. National Academy of Sciences: "Climate change is occurring, 

is very likely caused primarily by the 

emission of greenhouse gases from 

human activities, and poses significant risks for a range of human and 

natural systems." 

The Trout Unlimited report "Healing Troubled Waters" agrees by 

saying "The science is clear that human-caused climate change is already occurring and that impacts 

will increase in the future. Trout and 

salmon are especially vulnerable to 

climate change because they are dependent on an abundance of clean, 

cold water." 

Unfortunately, the most recent 

science is also the most disturbing. The "National Climate Assessment" report released in 1-Iay 2014 

doesn't predict that climate change 

is coming. It's already here. Hotter 

summers. Catastrophic droughts. 

Extreme wildfires. Unprecedented 

floods. Monster storms. 

The report was produced and approved by a team of over 300 climate scientists. It was subjected to 

extensive review by the public and 

by scientific experts in and out of 

government, including a special panel of the National Research Council 

of the National Academy of Sciences. And when the empirical evidence 

we see with our own eyes confirms 

the scientific reports produced by 

the most prestigious scientific panels in the \Vorld, then the skepticism 

of individual pundits, however wellintentioned, should give way to acceptance and action. 

)-More frequent a~d 

severe droughts are one 

symptom of global climate 

disruption. Here, the 

Missouri River Breaks 

National Monument suffers the effects of heat and 

Here's the crux of our 

situation. If we don't 

work together to lower 

our greenhouse gas emissions, we could lose most 

of the fisheries we know 

and love. And that's not 

500 years from now, or 100 

low water. years from now, but within the next few decades. 

That's in our lifetimes, and 

more importantly the lifetimes of our 

children. 

So is there an ounce of good news? 

Yes, there is. Like any talented medical team, our scientific community 

has diagnosed the problem and told 

us exactly how we need to respond. 

And in a striking bit of good luck, 

the remedy tastes more like chocolate than cod liver oil. 

Here's the prescription: 

1) Raise a little hell. If we don't flght for 

ourselves and our fisheries, we won't have 

anyone to blame when that "radically different" world knocks on our door. 

2) Stop treating the atmosphere like an 

open sewer and dumping unimaginably 

huge quantities of C02 into the air. 

3) Stop wasting energy. We all need to 

become more energy-aware and energyefficient in our daily lives. 

4) Shift from carbon-intensive fossil fuels 

to clean. renewable. energy sources like 

solar. wind, and geothermal. 

5) Change the conversation. Climate 

change should not be a partisan issue. and 

America should be a: globJlleader. 

Right now, we have the opportunity to break our addiction to fossil 

fuels, to avoid the worst impacts of 

climate change, and to position the 

United States as a clean energy leader. If we're successful, we can jumpstart our economy at the same time 

we prott:ct our waters and defend our 

angling heritage. But we don't have a 

second to waste. And if we don't actif, through laziness or skepticism, we 

Opt for business-as-usual ... well, it's 

not going to be pretty. 

At the end of the day, we all want 

the same thing. Great fishing. Clean 

water. A strong, vibrant economy and 

a healthy natural world for our kids 

and grandkids. 

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife 

Service, there are more than 33 million 

anglers in the lJ.S. If we stand together, 

we can protect our rivers and streams, 

strengthen America's financial house, 

and give our children and grandchildren a shot at a decent future. 

The cavalry isn't coming over the 

hill. No hero on a white horse is going 

to ride up and save us. Either we tackle climate change while we still have 

the chance, or we watch everything 

we care about turn to dust and ashes. 

Let's get to work. ~ 

Craig Mathews o··N,'lS Biue R.ibbon Flies 

in VI/est Yelic-.:vsto~<r::::. ~~~·lantana. Yvon 

Chouinard IS the fc,t.mder and ov-me:- of 

Pataqct~ia, !nc. Tom R-Jsenbaue1- is the 

mark:Stinq d1rec1or of Orvis Rod & Tackle. Todd farmer :s the founder of Conser~ 

vat:on Hc.wks V ~:,r ,-\::c;,--~ -:: .'),"7/-,'~?i · Ks 

and a ion,;Jt1~:18 OlliJ'J .. X ·vv:·1ter. 

[The opinions expressed in Forum are those of the authors who appear here 

and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies or views of FLY FisHERMA.V. 

1,¥{? toe/come po!itr? render re:_.,ponses to t!Je issues presented fwre. THE EDITOR] 

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