On Oct. 8, the United Nations released an urgent warning about the coming impacts of climate change. On Oct. 10, Hurricane Michael, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., struck Florida. More frequent and severe storms are just some of the repercussions we are seeing from unchecked climate change, and with the Trump administration’s rollback of the Clean Power Plan, more will come.

The Clean Power Plan established federal limits to carbon pollution from power plants. This type of pollution is a major driver of climate change and harms human health. Trump’s own administration found that this plan could save up to 4,500 people from premature death due to effects of carbon pollution annually, and yet they ignore these facts.

We need our government to take swift action to keep our climate livable and safe. The Clean Power Plan, along with the Clean Car Standard and the New Source Performance Standards, are critical pieces of legislation that protect Mainers from the harmful effects of pollution and climate change. I strongly urge the EPA to halt these rollbacks and I ask Maine’s elected officials to take action on climate at the federal, state, and local levels.

Kelly Corbin
South Portland