State College voters have an exciting opportunity on Tuesday. Together with two other communities, State College will have the first popular vote on a community bill of rights and natural gas drilling ban in the country.

Elected officials have put legislation like this in place across Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, including last November in Pittsburgh. In State College, this is a groundbreaking opportunity for residents to vote “yes” on the right to clean air and clean water for their communities and for the environment.

Be part of this nationwide effort to redefine the battleground for environmental stewardship. When state and federal regulators continually fail to protect our communities, our health and our environment, it is time to rethink the paradigm we have been working within.

If you are a registered voter in State College, we encourage you to vote “yes” Tuesday. Whether you are a voter or not, we urge you to tell everyone you know to get out and vote, and we encourage you to consider how you can help make this historic effort a success. Visit www.sierramsh.org. Sierra Club Moshannon Group strongly supports this ballot initiative.

Gary Thornbloom Union Township

The writer is chairman of the Sierra Club Moshannon Group.