FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, August 24, 2022
CONTACT: Christine Bolaños, [email protected], (512) 767-2978
JOLT STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH NORTH TEXANS RECOVERING FROM HISTORIC FLOODS
Jolt Action stands in solidarity with the residents of North Texas, who after experiencing a long drought along with the rest of the state, are now recovering from what’s considered a “one-in-a-thousand-year” weather event that occurred on Monday. Rains totaled nearly 15 inches and caused flooded roads, submerged cars and left at least one person dead.
Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed a disaster declaration for 23 counties impacted by Monday’s severe weather, including Dallas and Tarrant counties. The declaration allows the State of Texas to exercise emergency powers to respond to the natural disaster.
“We stand in solidarity with our fellow Texans in North Texas. Our hearts go out to all of those impacted by the recent flooding,” said Christine Bolaños, Communications Director at Jolt Action. “As a Texas flood survivor myself, I empathize, as does the entire Jolt family, with the heartache our neighbors are experiencing up north.”
“We cannot lose sight of the fact that Monday’s floods are the seventh disaster declared in 2022 in the Lone Star State in response to severe weather. Texas, along with much of the country, has been experiencing harsh climate conditions more frequently over the last several years. Areas of Houston and the Texas Coast are still recovering from Hurricane Harvey back in 2017, which at the time was also considered a historic event.”
While the disaster declaration is a step in the right direction, Jolt Action is cognizant of the fact that Gov. Abbott has not mentioned climate change in response to these more frequent natural disasters impacting residents throughout Texas.
North Texas, specifically, has experienced extreme heat, rain, cold and tornadoes in the last few years. While Abbott has acknowledged “more extreme weather patterns” when speaking to the media, he has yet to name climate change as a potential culprit.
“At Jolt, we believe that addressing the climate crisis is the key to ensuring a better, brighter future for all Texans,” Bolaños said. “Latinos in Texas are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, whether its breathing deadly fumes, drinking toxic water or becoming displaced when disaster strikes. Meanwhile, many of our lawmakers fail to take action on this crisis. Jolt demands accountability from Texas lawmakers to do their part to create a cleaner, safer, and more equitable environment for us all. Our fellow Texans can join us by making their voices heard at the election booth this November.”
For media inquiries or to arrange an interview, contact our Communications Team at christine@jolttx.org
ABOUT JOLT ACTION
Founded in 2016, Jolt Action is a progressive civic engagement organization focused on building the political power and influence of young Latinos in Texas.
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