In a recent opinion piece by former U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, he argued against the new EPA tailpipe emission standards, suggesting they restrict choice, hurt rural Pennsylvanians, and benefit the Chinese. He says, “We cannot afford to sacrifice the well-being and freedom of Pennsylvanians in the pursuit of unrealistic environmental objectives.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Let’s talk about freedom. Do I have the freedom of clean air here in Pennsylvania? Do I have the freedom from increasingly severe storms? Do I have the freedom from extra-hot summers? Do I have the freedom from tropical diseases now showing up? Do I have the freedom of not living in a rapidly warming planet? I hope Mr. Costello is equally concerned about the well-being of all Pennsylvanians.
Is doing nothing to stop greenhouse gas emissions a realistic environmental policy? One-third of the greenhouse gases come from the transportation sector. We need to move quickly away from gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. EPA’s standards do not mandate buying electric vehicles. Promoting electric vehicles and discouraging tailpipe emissions is a sensible carrot and stick approach.
In 1910, gas-powered cars were affordable only by the wealthy, and you had to get gasoline from the neighborhood drug store. It certainly disadvantaged rural Pennsylvanians. We figured it out then. We can figure it out now.
The price of electric car prices is rapidly reducing. More charging stations will emerge as will better battery technologies, made in the USA. We can’t keep is the status quo on gas engines and their CO2 emissions.
Where is the outrage for our Pennsylvania government heavily subsidizing our fossil fuel industry? Pennsylvania is the 4th highest state in CO2 emissions in the nation. If we weren’t in such a rush to burn coal, oil, and natural gas, maybe we could afford more flexibility in converting to electric vehicles. There’s no time to waste.
Ira Beckerman, New Cumberland, Pa.
Read More: The government shouldn’t force Pennsylvanians into global warming