I was horrified when I heard that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to rescind a 2009 declaration that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are a danger to public health and welfare.

The stated goal for this rollback is to remove the need for regulations and to save Americans money. The announcement did not include any acknowledgement of the reality of climate change or any proof that it actually would save any money. But the changes from a warming planet are very clear. I see them here in Maine with higher temperatures, increased tick activity and haze from Canadian wildfires.

It’s also clear that vehicles play a large part in adding to climate change. As noted by Steven Higashide from the Union of Concerned Scientists, emissions standards based on the 2009 declaration “…are projected to reduce planet-warming emissions by more than 7 billion tons over the next three decades.”

Even putting aside climate change, reducing emissions is better for everyone’s health. Just last year, the EPA’s new emissions standards were applauded for improving air quality. The changes were projected to prevent up to 2,500 premature deaths in 2055, plus cut rates of asthma, heart attacks, poor lung function and respiratory illnesses — all of which have high medical costs as well as significant impacts on quality of life. Rolling that back will just add to medical bills and costs of living.

No matter which way we look at it, this change isn’t good for our health or wallets.

Erica Bartlett
Portland