General Assembly must attend to pending climate legislation

To the Editor:
With just weeks left in the current state legislative session, Rhode Island lawmakers must not pass up the opportunity to act on climate change by passing two key bills.
First is the Distributed Generation Growth Program sponsored by Rep. Deborah Ruggiero, D-Jamestown, and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown. Rhode Island is currently lagging behind our Northeast neighbors, including Massachusetts, in renewable energy production – meaning we’re missing out on renewable energy jobs, energy savings for consumers and the environmental benefits of reduced pollution. However, this bill would increase our cornerstone renewable energy program an amazing five-fold. This legislation is supported by environmentalists, renewable energy developers and National Grid.
The second big opportunity is with comprehensive climate change legislation sponsored by Rep. Arthur Handy, D-Cranston, and Sen. William J. Conley Jr., D-East Providence. Rhode Island is already suffering real damage from climate change due to flooding, sea-level rise and extreme weather. By achieving 25 percent reductions in global warming emissions by 2020 and 85 percent by 2050 (as the science says we need to) – and by helping the state adapt to the changes in climate we’re already seeing – we can protect our economy from the effects of climate change while creating good, green job opportunities right here.
Until we act, we’re sending our energy dollars to the out-of-state, fossil fuel industry, and we’re getting hurricanes and flooding in return.
Channing Jones
Environment Rhode Island campaign director

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