Horton Column a Breath of Fresh Air

Re: “Anti-Environmental Conspiracy Theories are a Pile of Trash” (March 14).

Gary Horton’s column was a literal breath of fresh air, and if his recommendations are taken seriously, they’ll lead to a lot more breaths of fresh air for everyone! He states that good Earth stewardship, conservation of resources, and an antipollution stance are straightforward, environmentally prudent policies — and that protection of the environment should not be turned into a partisan wedge issue. I agree! Let’s make environmental protection a bridge, not a wedge, issue, because we all share the same environment, whether we’re Republican, Democrat or otherwise.

Congress has taken this principle to heart, by introducing the first bipartisan bill to address climate chaos since cap and trade failed in 2009. Rep. Katie Hill should co-sponsor this bill (the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 763), because scientists and economists both agree that this plan would be the fastest, most effective, simplest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, AND it has support on both sides of the aisle. It would be good for the economy and good for people, too, with all the fees on fossil fuels being returned to households equally, to spend as they wish. Businesses are also protected by a border adjustment on carbon intensive products and fuels crossing the border.

We have everything to gain and nothing to lose with this approach — just ask British Columbia, which has run a similar program for over eight years with major public approval. Now it’s expanding to all of Canada. This is one of the “straightforward, environmentally prudent policies” that Gary Horton speaks of. We need to go for it. Cher Gilmore Newhall