With all the recent Earth Day festivities, I have found myself both reflecting on and fuming over the lack of congressional action to address climate change. I am extremely dissatisfied by the anti-climate record of my congresswoman. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle has voted in favor of massive funding cuts and policy assaults on climate and clean air programs. She voted to ignore peer-reviewed scientific research and block the regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. She voted for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, a proven environmental threat that would contaminate freshwater supplies in America’s heartland and increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Buerkle has stated climate change is a ‘myth’ and that the ‘jury is still out on global warming’ despite the observable consequences we are experiencing today. It is absolutely unacceptable for a public representative to vote for anti-climate legislation despite the facts we know today. A healthy, clean environment provides jobs, protects the public well-being and offers huge potential health care savings. I strongly encourage our representative to change her stance as a climate change denier to benefit the environment, economy, community and future of Syracuse.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Vanasdale
Syracuse, N.Y.
lizvanasdale@gmail.com