Letter: Out-of-state firms try to kill I-1631

Out-of-state oil companies are spending $21 million to stop I-1631, an initiative supported by a coalition including over 250 health, business, environmental and faith groups. I-1631 will generate $1 billion per year, resulting from a fee placed on the largest polluters, which will be invested in home-grown clean energy, as well as energy efficiency, cleaner transportation, clean water, and healthier forests (fire prevention). Investments will be overseen by a public board of trusted community leaders and experts and will be evaluated annually. Local businesses and organizations will partner on projects proven to reduce pollution and provide energy security, benefit diverse communities, and create thousands of good-paying jobs.

And I-1631 will save millions in health care savings from pollution that sickens us and adds to global warming: a good deal for $10 per month for the average household. (Less, if you conserve energy in your home and car)! The IPCC report just released states that the world’s nations will need to take unprecedented steps in the next 12 years to keep global temperatures from levels that will bring widespread catastrophe. Passing I-1631 is a first step. We can lead the nation to avoid looming catastrophe; then the world’s nations will follow. Definitely a good deal!