Dear Editor,

Climate change is one of the single biggest threats to our environment, our public health and our economy. Pumping carbon and methane emissions into the atmosphere is accelerating climate change and is responsible for more extreme weather. New York state has spent billions of dollars over the past decade working to restore communities that have been devastated by severe flooding brought on by climate change.

I join the New York Public interest Research Group, NYPIRG, in calling on all state and local elected officials to say no to the oil and gas industry. Say no to the campaign contributions and personal gifts from corporate oil and gas giants, say no to permitting new fossil fuel infrastructure to be constructed in our state, and say no to climate change!

Our policy makers and representatives need to invest in a clean, green, renewable energy economy that is beneficial to everyone’s health, well-being and livelihood. I applaud Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for investigating ExxonMobil and other climate change igniters. Now, let’s see the rest of our representatives and policymakers stand up against climate change too.

Sincerely,

Ethan Thompson

NYPIRG SU/ESF Project Coordinator