While many are focused on Russia, I am watching the budget process. Trump aims to slash not only the Environmental Protection Agency but also eliminate all research into clean-energy technologies.
The EPA exists to help keep us safe by protecting our environment. If the EPA budget is slashed, who will monitor entities like Tesoro-Savage and Hanford? Will citizens purchase equipment and check on industries to make sure they are following what rules remain in place to protect us? Will I need to get training and assess the damage after an oil spill like the one in Mosier, Ore.? Because even the railroad companies acknowledge that crashes will continue to happen proportional to the amount of train traffic.
The Department of Energy wants to eliminate all government research and development of new energy technologies. This is OK if you don’t mind China being the new global leader, but I’d rather the USA keeps those bragging rights! With the Paris Climate Accord in full swing for the rest of the world, we are going to be left in the coal dust.
Will Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, help lead us forward or fall for fossil-fuel propaganda?
