The Trump administration on Oct. 9 repealed the Clean Power Plan, rolling back the Obama administration’s efforts to address climate change through federal regulations. Under the Clean Power Plan, the federal government provided states with targets for reducing power-plant emissions to help them shift away from coal toward cleaner energy sources such as off-shore wind that contribute less to global warming.
The repeal could not be more poorly timed, coming as it does on the heels of hurricanes and major storms that experts say were exacerbated by climate change.
It’s yet another piece of bad news, but we do not have to feel powerless. Our family will shortly have solar panels — all made in the U.S. — on our rooftop. Subsidies available for solar energy will cover much of the cost. Subscribing to a renewable energy-sourced company through Central Hudson will ensure the rest of our electrical use comes from renewable sources, including wind.
Of course, in the bigger picture, it is essential to contact our elected officials. We call on U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney and U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer to take all possible steps to fight the administration’s attack on reason and science and act quickly to ensure that responsible policies are enacted to confront climate change instead of ignoring it.
Heidi Wendel, Nelsonville
Every individual makes a difference in the sea of humanity on earth. I drive an electric car and have put on 20,000 miles in the last two years with it. I also buy 100 percent wind from a third-party utility. If we all work together on this, it makes a huge difference across the country and the world.