man. Yeah, well thank you everybody and uh want to uh again welcome president to California. And and thank him uh for once again focusing his attention as no other previous administration has on addressing the ravages of climate change in particular here on the West Coast, but notably in California, the challenges of wildfires, California is currently dealing with 15 large active wildfires so far year today, 2.25 million acres have burned remarkably. Uh that is double the five year average, but it's substantially less than what we experienced this time last year where over three million acres have burned. We're dealing with conditions and consequences of climate change, the likes of which uh were predicted, But predicted a decade or two from today. Those challenges are not only vexing, but those challenges create opportunities. And I know the president will be speaking a lot about those opportunities and the next day and upcoming weeks as he refers to the work he's doing to advance uh this historic uh infrastructure package. But I want to just make a point mr. President with you're uh indulgence that despite the President knighted states being here, uh, I would stipulate the most powerful force on the planet is not even the President United States, it's mother nature, she is, as others have said, all she is is chemistry, biology and physics. She bats last. She bats 1000. We are dealing with extreme the likes of which we've never dealt with in our state's history, including the most extreme weather in terms of the hottest summer we have ever experienced in California's history between june and august a west Coast drought that some have referred to as a mega drought That arguably began in 2000 hearts are getting a lot hotter. The drives are getting drier. And as you saw in the east coast of the United States, where people quite literally, we're drowning their cars. The wets are getting a lot wetter with atmospheric rivers and the consequences of warming seas and more intense tropical storms as well as hurricanes. And so I'm here sobered by the challenges and that reality, but also, as I noted, optimistic by not only California's capacity to work through situationally and we are the colder fire that we just visited. Uh that took the town of Grizzly flats. Uh that fire now is 67% contained the dixie fire. Uh now three quarters contained uh situationally, we are battling these wildfires and making progress. But the sustainable mindset we have is to address the smash mouth realities and to lead the conversation and new in this country to radically change the way we produce and consume energy uh and to continue to lead our nation leading efforts as it relates to low carbon green growth, California's leadership is demonstrable California's leadership has been challenged in the last four years. But those headwinds now our tail winds with the biden administration were not sparring partners were working partners as it relates to issues of climate change and dealing with the challenges of wildfires. And so mr President, I'm just honored That you're here. We are all blessed 40 million Californians strong that you took the time to be here. But as I began, let me end by saying, uh this is not your first foray into this issue. We held two summits with west Coast governors proactively held with the President's assistance. Not only did he show up to make remarks, he stayed until the end of both conversations, I've been around this business long enough to note the distinction between people that are interested in things and people that are committed to solving things. President knighted States commitment is demonstrable now, the third time here physically seen the impacts of these wildfires for himself. But his commitments he made in june the commitments he made in july the promises that he made to follow up, he delivered on, we had specifically for things we requested the President knighted States all four he delivered on. And so mr. President, let me also take this moment. Not just to thank you for being here at this critical juncture, but thank you for delivering on your promises. Thank you for meeting this moment. Head on and thank you for leading a conversation and new in this country around resiliency and around painting an optimistic picture of the future as we transition to a low carbon green growth future. And so with that let me introduce the President of the United States joe biden. Thanks God well folks. Uh thank you governor for those comments, I must say good afternoon and oh have you here in this cool hanger. Earlier today, we were briefed by the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise Idaho. The center located, there's a locational hub for our federal firefighting resources of the region and we just surveyed some of the damage of the calendar fire here in California, which in less than a month has wiped out for 200,000 acres and 1000 structures Holmes, precious memories destroyed air quality to degrade it. Local economy stopped in his tracks and nearly 200 people in the area forced to live in shelters. Everyone in northern California knows the time of the year when you can't go outside when the air will be filled with smoke and the sky will turn populistic shade of orange. Parents worried about keeping their Children safe in a pandemic, worry about air quality as well. Thus far, The nationwide over 44,000 wildfires have burned nearly 5,300,000 acres roughly the size of the state of New Jersey in California. This year, more than 2.2 million acres have burned The Dixie Fire burned nearly one million alone and we're working closely with Governor Newsman to make sure California has every resource, every resource available to keep families safe and the governor has led his state with poise and strong leadership. He's been an innovator and items of for long term solutions. and he and I are both optimistic. These fires are blinking code red for our nation. They're gaining frequency and ferocity and we know what we have to do and it starts with our firefighters putting their lives on the line and rugged and dangerous conditions. I never forget coming out to Arizona in 2013 To speak at the memorial of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who gave their lives. Firefighters are unmatched in their bravery. That's why I took the action I did in june to ensure that all federal firefighters earn at least the minimum wage and we're working on fundamentally changing the benefits that are available to them. Fema has approved 33 fire management assistance grants help Western states pay for the cost of fighting these awful fires. We use the Defense Production Act to address the shortage and fire hoses because of the pandemic. We found ourselves in the situation where there's a backlog and an awful lot of things. We restarted the idle production line in Oklahoma bringing back to work and delivering thousands of new feats of new fire hoses to the front lines. Hard to believe. Short on fire hoses. In addition, we've tapped od the Department of Defense for 10 aircraft, 20 C130s, modular airborne firefighting systems with those systems and to help our fires suppression the RC 26 aircraft to provide critical imagery from space. They're based in California And they've now flown over 1000 missions across the west. 250 active duty military troops on ground on the ground at dixie fire in California. Working alongside firefighters, we're sharing satellite imagery, help detect and monitor fire growth. And the E. P. A. Is using new technology to deliver fire smoke and air quality information directly to people's cell phones. Our friends from Canada and Australia are providing help through both firefighters as well as aircraft And my build back better plan includes billions of dollars for wildfire preparedness resilience in response. Forest management to restore millions of acres and to protect homes and public water sources. This bipartisan bill Includes more than $8 billion dollars to increase resilience in wildfires and add to that counting resolution packages include The continuing resolution practical $14 billion nine billion for communities hit by wildfire and drought. We're not gonna leave these people in distress. We know that decades of forest management decisions have created hazardous conditions across the western forest. We can't ignore the reality that these wire fire. Wildfires are being supercharged by climate change. It isn't about red or blue states, it's about fires, just fires in the past two weeks. I've been in Louisiana Where Hurricane eight a hit and with winds up to 179 mph, gusting New Jersey and new york walking down the streets, main streets, meeting with families and first responders seeing the destruction of these disasters, caused dreams crushed lives interrupted scientists have been warning us for years that extreme weather is going to get more extreme. We're living it in real time now. Extreme weather cost America last year, $99 billion. Let me say it again. Extreme weather in the United States Cost the United States of America total of $99 billion. And this year unfortunately going to break that record, it's a devastating loss to our economy. And for so many communities, we and we failed to curb pollution from smokestacks and tailpipes and continue to use fossil fuels as we do. We increase risk that firefighters face beast dollar. We invest in resilience saves up to $6 down the road when the next fire doesn't spread as wisely as widely. And those investments also save lives. When I think about climate change, I think about not the cost, I think about good paying jobs or create, but I also think about the jobs we're losing due to impacts in the supply chains and industries because we haven't acted boldly enough. We have to build back and you heard me say it 100 times, not just build back, but build back better As one nation. We gotta do it together, we'll get through this together. We just have to keep the faith folks, we have the bipartisan infrastructure bill that's been passed in his bipartisan and I believe will get done this so called reconciliation bill that has another several trillion dollars in it. Let me close by saying, when people talk about the cost of the build back better proposal beyond the infrastructure, never remind you. The cost may be as much as $3.5 trillion, But to put that in perspective has spent out over 10 years. Number one And number two is expected the economy our economy will grow two, trillion. GDP. By that time, That's less than 1.5 total in terms of deficit of that total amount. In addition to that, The 90% of its paid for. And so folks, we have to think big thinking, small is a prescription for disaster. We're going to get this done. This nation is going to come together and we are going to beat this climate change. Thank you. What? Mhm.