Everett McLaughlin: Revoking environmental protections has consequences

To The Daily Sun,

The article, "EPA moves to revoke legal basis for climate change," has severe consequences. The Environmental Protection Agency under Donald Trump's political appointee Lee Zeldin plans to rescind its own stringent review of the 2009 "Endangerment Finding" declaration, the very foundation that protects us, which scientifically concluded that greenhouse gases are a threat to public health.

Bad enough? Nope.

A new offer from Zeldin has allowed petrochemical manufacturers and some of the nation's dirtiest coal operators to apply for a "presidential exemption from pollution" by email, no less. Already, 70 coal-fired plants have won waivers, including one of the dirtiest power plants in the country: Colstrip, in Montana. They now have a two-year pass to ignore the pollution standards that protect us from the likes of brain-damaging mercury, carcinogenic arsenic, benzene and other hazardous pollutants.

Bad enough? Nope.

They can apply for a renewal. Some of the largest industrial polluters are also applying: American Chemistry Council and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers are seeking blanket exemptions for over 200 facilities to allow for increased emissions of toxic ethylene oxide and chloroprene, shown to increase risks of cancer, not to mention additional pollutants.

I believe any man or woman would gladly take a bullet to protect his/her family. So, to all the Trump supporters, this is an open invite to explain to me why Trump's constant assault on environmental protections are good for my 10-year-old and 6-year-old granddaughters, and the rest of my family. How are they good for supporters' spouses, kids and grandkids? Silent killers are OK with them Would they be willing to move next to the Colstrip power plant in Montana or any of the other facilities that have already received or are applying for blanket exemptions?

I look forward to their replies.

Everett McLaughlin

Gilford