Climate change is already causing serious problems right here in Maine.

For more than a year, central and western Maine farms have dealt with a historically severe drought that has impacted harvests and dried up water wells. On the coast, Acadia has seen an uptick (no pun intended) in tick-borne illnesses that will continue to increase as Maine’s climate warms.

Even Downeast, blueberry harvesters will need to adjust their entire management and harvesting strategies as the temperature rises, or risk losing their livelihoods.

Unfortunately, despite these alarming trends, many Americans tend to tune out these effects of climate change. Why? For most, it has nothing to do with denialism. Instead, it stems from a fatigue caused by climate alarmists who often champion policies that overpromise, underdeliver, and don’t work for Maine people.

The vast majority of Mainers want to protect our environment, but they should not have to sacrifice their hard-won livelihoods, while other large countries like China and India continue to pollute.

By contrast, the Baker-Shultz Carbon Dividends Plan would deliver the results we need. Using market incentives and returning all revenues back to American households, the proposal would reduce U.S. emissions, hold other countries accountable for their own, and protect the financial security of both Maine households and businesses large and small.

Rather than being rooted in far-fetched alarmism, the Baker-Shultz plan is a pragmatic and fiscally responsible strategy that will put our environment and our wallets first.

Roy Mathews, Lewiston


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