Climate change threatens Acadia
As someone who has wanted to visit Acadia National Park for quite some time, the July 13 BDN article about how climate change will affect Acadia was very interesting and very worrisome. It scares me to think that beautiful places such as Acadia are permanently being affected by climate change before people get the chance to experience them.
Increased severe weather events and pollution are permanently changing some of the most beautiful places in this country and world. Not only is climate change affecting these areas physically, but intense heat and increased air pollution are making it more difficult to enjoy them.
The purpose of national parks such as Acadia is to protect beautiful areas or land, and while the regulation and restoration the National Park Service provides is incredibly important, there is little they can do to protect these beautiful places from the harms of climate change. To truly protect these areas, we need to support legislation that fights climate change-causing pollution on a larger scale.
National plans, such as the Clean Power Plan, are incredibly important, but more local plans, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, also are extremely effective. I strongly believe Maine legislators should support legislation like this, which aims to fight climate change, so the beautiful outdoor areas such as Acadia can continue to thrive and so that people can continue to enjoy them.
William Downie
Southport
Black Lives Matter
When we say Black Lives Matter, we are not saying the lives of law enforcement officers don’t matter. The lives of the police matter. I respect and appreciate the day-to-day work of the police in my community here in Belfast and mourn the deaths of the police in Dallas.
When we say Black Lives Matter, we are saying we have a problem with systemic racism in our country, we have a problem with violence directed toward people of color, we have a particular problem with violence directed toward men of color.
David Smith
Belfast
Cushing for Senate
As former legislators who had the honor of serving the people of our area, we understand what it takes to be effective in Augusta. It is important to elect someone who has the best interests of his or her constituents and our state at heart, someone who works hard to understand the needs of our community and its people and is conscientious about attending and supporting local events and civic activities.
Sen. Andre Cushing, R-Newport, exemplifies these qualities. Whether it is an early community breakfast, a late night issue forum or a Saturday town meeting, he can be found there, listening to the concerns and interests of the people of his district. He takes these thoughts and concerns to Augusta to work on common-sense solutions to problems. He is reasoned in his approach and will work with anyone who will join him to solve the problem at hand. He takes time to learn about the issues and works to find the best solutions, never caring about who gets the credit as long as it is Mainers who benefit.
During the last session, he worked in a bipartisan manner to address our state’s drug crisis, approaching possible solutions from all angles. Additionally, Cushing’s work to improve our state’s economy as a member of the committee overseeing labor and commerce issues has earned him respect on both sides of the aisle. We need good people like Cushing serving us. That is why we ask voters to join us in voting for Cushing in November.
Debra Plowman
Hampden
Josh Tardy
Newport