El Paso, TX (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso’s rising temperatures and increasingly early heat were top of mind for residents this week as the City Council approved a Climate Action Plan aimed at addressing climate change and local environmental concerns.
Several people who spoke to KFOX14/CBS4 said they have noticed the city getting hotter in recent years.
One resident said, “Obviously, there’s been every year there’s record breakages for how hot it gets, and it just gets worse and worse and worse.”
Another said, “I don’t know that I buy into the whole global warming thing, but it’s definitely getting hotter. And this is the hottest. I mean, summer started in February this year, which is very unusual.”
A third resident agreed, saying, “This year’s more hotter. Ahh si. Yes, this year’s more.”
However, the heat has also felt out of step with the calendar.
One resident said, “I feel like I never got winter.”
Another resident pointed to current and upcoming temperatures, saying, “I mean, it’s like 90 degrees right now. It’s going to be in the mid-nineties this weekend. That’s not normal for the middle of March.”
According to Climate Central, average El Paso temperatures have climbed by more than five degrees Fahrenheit since 1970, the third-highest rise in temperatures among cities nationwide.
That trend was one of the factors leading the El Paso City Council to approve the plan this week.
The Climate Action Plan is intended to address issues including rising temperatures, drought, and poor air quality.
Some residents welcomed the move.
“I mean, it’s a good thing that people are doing something about it,” one said.
Another added, “It’s going to be good for El Paso. It’s great.”
Others supported the idea but raised concerns about costs. “I think that sounds great. I just don’t want to pay more taxes for it,” one resident said.
Funding for the effort was previously approved by voters.
In November 2022, El Paso voters approved a bond allocating $5.2 million to implement the Climate Action Plan.
The city also received a $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency in 2023 that went toward planning.
After two years of community meetings, the city decided to focus on steps such as making buildings more energy efficient and putting solar panels on public buildings.
The plan also emphasizes expanding El Paso’s tree canopy to add shade and improve air quality.
Residents interviewed said more trees would be a welcome change. “I love trees. That’s one of the things I don’t like about El Paso is there aren’t enough trees. So I think that’s definitely a positive. I think it will help,” one said. “The trees are also going to help filter the air, which is a big plus.”
Another resident echoed that support, saying, “I think more trees. I think more trees. We need more trees because for the air, you know, for oxygen.”
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