When Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, introduced bi-partisan climate legislation in 2010, we were proud to be from a state whose senator recognized the value of bipartisan collaboration and who also recognized the urgency of climate change. That bill was innovative and provided a mechanism to cap carbon emissions while rebating funds back to the American people. They wrote, “we address our nation’s dangerous over reliance on fossil fuels while opening the door to vibrant economic growth.”

In 2015, Sen. Collins continued this leadership by crossing the aisle and voting against Republican-led initiatives to overturn the Clean Power Plan and to limit the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

The urgency now couldn’t be greater. Maine’s economy is almost exclusively reliant on the environment, and the state of Maine is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, due to its extensive coastline, the valuable lobster fisheries, working forests and the world-class tourist destinations such as Acadia National Park (2.81 million visitors in 2015).

The EPA has a long history of carefully reviewing pollution policy and implementing those policies. We cannot afford to have someone like Scott Pruitt at the helm. Pruitt has actively advocated against the EPA’s mission and his intentions are to dismantle the progress the U.S. has made. There is no time left to debate climate change or dismantle current regulations and economic incentives. There just is not time.

We urge Sen. Collins to continue her longstanding leadership on climate issues and vote no to Scott Pruitt.

Lynne Lewis, New Gloucester

Tom Tietenberg, Waterville