San Diego, CA —  In a stunning display of denial and irresponsibility, Republicans on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today refused to acknowledge that climate change is real — voting down a proposal that would have affirmed basic scientific fact and called for bold local action in the face of growing climate threats.

The proposal, introduced by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, would have aligned San Diego County with cities and counties across the country through the America Is All In coalition, advancing climate goals laid out in the Paris Agreement. It also called on federal leaders to reverse devastating cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — both critical to San Diego’s disaster response, air and water quality, and coastal safety.

“Republicans on this Board had one simple opportunity: to say climate change is real — and they couldn’t even do that,” said Supervisor Lawson-Remer. “It’s outrageous. San Diego is already suffering the consequences of floods, wildfires, and toxic pollution. And instead of standing with our communities, they chose to stand with polluters and extremists in Washington.”

The failed proposal, linked HERE, comes amid alarming federal rollbacks:

• NOAA Gutted: 25% of NOAA’s workforce fired or forced out, with key flood forecasting systems, weather labs, and ocean buoys scaled back—impacting disaster preparedness and coastal safety.
• EPA Slashed: Proposed 65% budget cut to the EPA, including layoffs of thousands of scientists and elimination of environmental justice offices—jeopardizing Superfund cleanups such as Camp Pendleton.
• Public Health at Risk: Rollbacks projected to cause 8,000 additional premature deaths annually and 10,000 additional asthma attacks daily, costing $25 billion annually in health and productivity losses.
• Cleantech Undermined: San Diego’s clean energy sector has already lost $50 million in federal grants—threatening thousands of local jobs and our region’s climate leadership.

“These are not abstract concerns. These are disasters-in-waiting,” Lawson-Remer said. “We can’t afford to play games with science or pretend this isn’t happening. Republicans are endangering our health, our economy, and our future — all because they refuse to speak the truth.”

Building on the State of the County Commitments

Just last week, in her 2025 State of the County Address, Supervisor Lawson-Remer warned that the federal government is slashing support for the very programs that keep San Diegans safe — from disease prevention to environmental protection. She emphasized the County’s duty to step up when Washington steps back.

“We can’t fix everything that’s broken in Washington,” Lawson-Remer said in her speech, “but we can ensure that, here in our own community, our air and water is clean and healthy and safe to drink and swim.”

Today’s vote, she said, is a sobering reminder that “the threats we face are real — and so is the denial that keeps us from confronting them.”

Despite the setback, Lawson-Remer vowed to keep pushing forward. In her speech, she laid out a bold local climate agenda — from investing in stormwater infrastructure to banning cancer-causing “forever chemicals” from County purchasing, and advancing San Diego Community Power’s goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2035.

To view the State of the County Address, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGWORQPsvas&t=1s