Did you see the Morning Sentinel article about the planned demonstration in front of the MainePERS’s building in Augusta (“Activists: System fails to divest from fossil fuels,” March 15)? In 2021, the Maine Legislature passed a law directing MainePERS to divest from fossil fuel corporations by 2026, but the trustees have made it clear that they will not try to meet this deadline.

Fifteen Mainers greeted the MainePERS trustees as they entered for their monthly meeting, including six of us from Waterville. We asked the trustees to obey the law. The demonstrators are members of Third Act Maine, a group of elders, Mainers in their third act of life. We seek to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid a climate crisis for our children.

Economic experts have pointed out that fossil fuels are a risky investment today. Furthermore, it does not make sense for Maine to spend more and more money to reduce the negative impacts of climate change, while still investing in fossil fuel corporations. Other states have found a way to divest from these corporations without losing money, and we are asking MainePERS to do the same. We will pursue more actions concerning MainePERS’s decision not to divest.

Our greater Waterville area Third Act group is going to ask the Waterville City Council to endorse a global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. Our state and several other towns have done this. This sends a powerful message to our federal representatives, to stop expanding fossil fuel use.

If this appeals to you, please join us at our monthly meeting (11:15 a.m. on the third Sunday of each month, at the Universalist-Unitarian Church of Waterville). Third Act is an environmental group, not a religious one, although we are meeting at the church.

Richard Thomas

Waterville

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