Letter to the editor: Vote to protect environment

With the recency of Hurricanes Helene and Milton hitting the southeastern United States, including lower portions of Appalachia, we see how their destruction has harmed our communities — and how necessary it is to have representation/policies that care for everyone impacted by climate change.

This fall, we can ensure that all our voices are heard. By encouraging voters to cast their ballots, we can elect pro- environment candidates up and down the ballot. These candidates will protect our clean air and water, get our environmental projects federally funded and have the necessary resources to protect our communities during climate crises.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton were not freak accidents: Climate change is happening now. While we Pittsburghers were spared, our Appalachian neighbors weren’t, and it’s a matter of time before we face more climate disasters that go beyond tornadoes and rainy weather.

To see how your sitting legislator has voted when it comes to the environment, the Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania and their partners have created a Pennsylvania Environmental Scorecard at conservationpa.org/scorecard. All the resources on voting can be found at vote.pa.gov. Now is the time to vote and support the candidates that will support you.

Katriana Marquez

East Liberty