Hoping to turn the tide on global warming | Letter

Susan Atkinson’s Aug. 3 op-ed addressing federal climate policy (“Air pollution ignores international borders. What to do?”) was a welcome breath of fresh air in this hot, smoky summer.

She aptly noted that politicization of wildfires sidesteps the point that fossil fuel-induced heating of the planet is igniting the fires, here and around the planet. I, and many others, have watched anxiously and worked arduously to convince Congress to pass legislation that will be effective in large-scale curbing of fossil fuel emissions. Her description of such a policy was clear, and showed the logic and simplicity of charging fuel producers for the pollution their products cannot avoid dumping into our atmosphere when they are used.

What she and other readers may not be aware of is that numerous Maine municipalities (32 so far) have voted to express their support to Congress for the same sort of policy the op-ed describes. Rep. Chellie Pingree has, in the past, co-sponsored similar legislation that, sadly, did not make it to a vote.

We all want some hope about turning the tide on global warming. In particular, we hope Congress will take definitive, effective policy action soon.

Cynthia Stancioff
Camden

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Tagged: letter to the editor