By Barbara Scavezze, Letter to the Editor
The Olympian, June 7, 2019

On behalf of the Thurston Climate Action Team (TCAT) and the Olympia Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), I would like to thank the community for supporting the Fourth Annual South Sound Climate Action Convention held at Olympia High School on April 13.

Presenters were excellent, attendance was high, and the overall mood was enthusiastic and hopeful. Climate Action Groups formed at the convention will continue meeting to take action on the climate crisis. Information about them can be found at www.thurstonclimateaction.org/climate-action-groups/

Another thank you is in order: Congressman Denny Heck recently cosponsored the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, HR 763 – the first member of Congress from the Washington delegation to do so. Congressman Heck spoke to CCL members at the convention, to announce his enthusiastic endorsement of the bill and to thank CCL for our work in advancing a bipartisan, revenue-neutral climate solution.

HR 763, if passed, will drive down the country’s carbon pollution by 40 percent. At the same time, it will create 2.1 million new jobs in the clean energy field.

A majority of Americans support Congress taking action on the climate crisis – it is too important an issue to get caught up in partisan politics. It is encouraging to know that we at the local level are building momentum for solving the climate crisis. And that our local Congressman is with us is especially heartening!