Letter to the Editor - The Millerton News - 4-6-23

We have a climate emergency… Let’s pretend we don’t!

Assemblymember Didi Barrett’s recent commentary (We have climate goals...Now what? March 29, 2023) on New York State’s response to the climate emergency was an embarrassingly transparent attempt to appease every possible constituency. It clearly demonstrated how unprepared she is to lead the NYS Assembly’s Energy Committee.

As we all know, the root cause of climate change is the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide and methane. Assemblymember Barrett however seems not to be aware of first law of holes, which is: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

While she remains firmly focused on absurd and irrelevant solutions like “capturing gas emitted by cow manure and burning it for electricity,” Assemblymember Barrett has also sponsored Assembly Bill A.6039, which, if passed, would weaken New York’s nation-leading climate law by accounting for greenhouse gas’ global warming potential so that it’s effect is measured over the course of 100 years rather than the 20 years that the CLCPA currently requires. While this may sound like a technicality, methane (AKA natural gas, or “cow power gas”)  causes most of its climate damage during the first 20 years after it hits the atmosphere. And, that damage is at least 84 times more potent as compared to CO2. We clearly do not have 100 years to solve the climate emergency.

Every major climate group in New York is opposed to A.6039 including the Sierra Club, NY Renews and over 30 others. Assemblymember Barrett’s commentary shows how desperate she is to position herself as a climate leader while her actions clearly show that her allegiances lie with the oil and gas industry.

Bill Kish

Town of North East

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