Martha Jane Rich

We do not need legislation that benefits the fossil fuel industry at a time when the harmful effects of climate change are more obvious in our state every year. In my town, these effects include increased cyanobacteria in our lakes, wildfire smoke making the air unsafe for outdoor activity in the summer, increasing threats to the health of our forests, and extreme weather cycles including severe drought and flooding. For people who never go outdoors, that might seem acceptable, but in fact the health of our environment is critical to the business of tourism, our food supply, and our overall ability to thrive economically in this state. This bill is short-sighted and destructive.