Climate Issues

Bill Gorham

I’m a “recovering” marine biologist who moved to Brookings in 2017, where I’ve devoted much of my time & energy to educate people about the causes and effects of global warming, climate change, and ocean acidification. I’m part of both local and national climate groups including helping start the Coastal chapter of SOCAN here in Brooking. I’m always ready to share my love for the ocean and environmental causes though talks about beach combing, offshore wind, climate science, and all related topics.

On July 4th 2025, President Trump signed the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB Act) that had been passed only days before by the narrowest of margins by the US Congress. 

As succinctly described in this July 8 article in Yale Climate Connections the gutting of the renewable incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act ensures that China will now be the world leader in renewable technologies. The kneecapping of renewable energy in the US just as energy demand is growing due to demands from AI and data centers, will ensure US consumers will face higher energy costs and reduced service. 

Mir-445511, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsThe OBBB Act will have a host of other negative impacts that are summarized in the article. And, as noted by Robbie Orvis, Energy Innovation’s Senior Director of Modeling and Analysis, “To sum it up, this bill is a GIFT to China, which must be smiling right now watching what’s happening. We are gifting them the industries of the future, making the U.S. an eminently harder place to invest in, and decreasing our energy security.”
So, what are we to do? Please write, email, or call your Senators and Representatives to let them know that you will hold them to account for either fighting for our future or for selling out the US. And, then actively work to elect members of Congress who will work for that livable future for all generations.