As a retired physical therapist, who spent much of my 42-year career working with pulmonary patients, I am beyond excited to read of this legislation to make long-time polluters pay for the damage done to our air quality and climate in Maine.

We are, as they say, at the tailpipe end of wind currents that come across the country, west to east, and have the evidence of higher than average numbers of acute and chronic asthma/reactive airway diseases, in both young and old,  lung cancer even in non-smokers, and now annual increases in the number of days in spring, summer and fall of air quality alerts urging us to stay indoors. The inability to breathe easily is both sad and ugly to witness and even worse to endure, and it affects every aspect of daily life.  

The technology exists to locate and track the sources of air pollution. So, let’s please follow the science that has been documented and use it to make polluters pay for their indiscretions (sins against humanity, and all for profit) with climate change fees both retroactive and going forward. 

We must urge our senators and representatives to follow the example of New York and Vermont to protect our environment by supporting LD 1870 in this legislative session. The lives of our grandkids depend on it.  

Isabel Higgins
Standish