A recent article highlighted the fact that Maine’s climate plan is at risk due to cuts in the proposed federal budget, and I’m asking Sen. Susan Collins to vote against those cuts.

The fact that the climate is changing is clear. As a kid in Maine, I don’t remember ever dealing with 90-degree days in June, or worrying about ticks in March. But those are only some of the realities we have to face now that temperatures are rising.

The Maine Climate Council has done a good job of looking at those changes and making recommendations for the state’s climate action plan. The proposed cuts, though, would make their job much harder, if not impossible.

As just one example, the proposed budget would eliminate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s climate and health program. This means that Maine would likely have to put a hold on assisting with the development of plans to address extreme heat. This doesn’t mean we won’t face extreme heat — we already know we will. But without those plans, more people could die from that heat.

I urge Sen. Collins to consider this and the other climate-related impacts of the budget. To truly help Mainers, she should vote against the proposed cuts and work to make sure the necessary funding is restored.

Erica Bartlett
Portland