The most important reason to lament Gov. LePage’s veto of the solar bill is the proposal’s potentially positive impact on climate change. The Press Herald (Page A1, April 30) reported that advocates supported the bill because of its potential contributions to jobs and the solar industry. These are good and important reasons. But there’s more.

We need to phase out sources of energy that contribute to climate change – especially coal, oil and gas – and replace them with renewables like solar, wind and tidal power as soon as possible.

Increasing the amount of electricity generated by clean, renewable energy such as solar reduces the amount of coal, oil and gas we need by an equivalent amount. Coal, oil and gas are important sources of greenhouse gases that warm the planet.

Slowing that warming would have many benefits right here in Maine, such as slowing sea level rise, slowing the acidification of the Gulf of Maine, slowing the migration of lobsters north and slowing the decline of winter activities that depend on cold weather such as skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing.

I trust that the Legislature will pass a solar bill again next year and that if Mr. LePage won’t sign it, the Legislature will override it. It’s the right thing to do for Maine and the planet.

Al Howlett

Yarmouth