Kudos to The Columbian for being a leader in climate news. Climate awareness is represented in a recent editorial (“Choices offer opportunity to affect climate change,” In Our View, Nov. 15), which calls for “green energy and carbon reduction.” The bottom line: increased progress needs to be made as soon as possible.
Our actions don’t need to be perfect, they just need to be a lot more than we’re on track for right now. The direction that President Joe Biden is setting with increased funding toward climate resilience will be beneficial for the economy, the climate, and both United States and global citizens.
To support this positive direction in climate solutions, I propose that Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, focus on clean-energy permitting reform. By streamlining the bureaucracy for green energy projects, time and costs can be significantly reduced, making more projects feasible.
Clean-energy permitting reform can play a crucial role in both boosting the economy and addressing climate change. It can create jobs, reduce startup costs and diversify the energy market. It also moves us toward climate goals by reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy security.
