2020-10-27_PERMIT FILE - C1981035 (22)

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other ecosystems and their ability to provide natural habitat, clean water, and economic livelihoods have declined as a result of recent droughts and wildfire due in part to human-caused climate change. The cumulative forest area burned by wildfires has greatly increased between 1984 and 2015, with analyses estimating that the area burned by wildfire across the western United States over that period was twice what would have burned had climate change not occurred.Water for people and nature in the Southwest has declined during droughts, which are increasing, along with heat waves, and the reduction of winter chill hours which can harm crops and livestock; exacerbate competition for water among agriculture, energy generation,and municipal uses;and increase future food insecurity.The ability of hydropower and fossil fuel electricity generation to meet growing energy use in the Southwest is decreasing as a result of drought and rising temperatures. Intensifying droughts and occasional large floods,combined with critical water demands from a growing population, deteriorating infrastructure, and groundwater depletion, suggest the need for flexible water management techniques that address changing risks over time to balance declining supplies with greater demands. Many renewable energy sources offer increased electricity reliability, lower water intensity of energy generation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and new economic opportunities. Implementing GHG emissions reductions, adaptive fire management, and other resource actions can help reduce future vulnerabilities of ecosystems and human well-being. Heat- associated deaths and illnesses, vulnerabilities to chronic disease, and other health risks to people in the Southwest result from increases in extreme heat, poor air quality, and conditions that foster pathogen growth and spread. Improving public health systems, community infrastructure, and personal health can reduce serious health risks under future climate change. The following data have been summarized from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Climate Effects on Health assessment. Climate change and other natural and human-made health stressors influence human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify, and new health threats will emerge as a result of climate change. Key weather and climate drivers of health impacts include increasingly frequent, intense, and longer-lasting extreme heat, which worsen drought, wildfire, and air pollution risks; increasingly frequent extreme precipitation, intense storms, and changes in precipitation patterns that lead to drought and ecosystem changes; and rising sea levels that intensify coastal flooding and storm surges. Key drivers of vulnerability include the attributes of certain groups (age, socioeconomic status, race, and current level of health) and of place (floodplains, coastal zones, and urban areas), as well as the resilience of critical public health infrastructure. Health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries, and premature deaths related to extreme weather events; changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of foodborne and waterborne illnesses and other infectious diseases; and threats to mental health. Climate change is projected to harm human health by increasing ground-level ozone and/or particulate matter air pollution in some locations. Ground-level ozone (a key component of smog) is associated with many health problems, such as diminished lung function, increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for asthma, and increases in premature deaths. Factors that affect ozone formation include heat, concentrations of precursor chemicals, and methane emissions, whereas particulate matter concentrations are affected by wildfire emissions and air stagnation episodes, among other factors. Dunn Ranch Area LBA and Mining Plan Modification 49 Technical Resources Report