Letters: Climate change solutions should take priority in Pa.; Actions needed to help local residents, businesses

Climate change solutions should take priority in Pa.

The area surrounding State College gives myself and others great opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but is at risk. I am distressed to know that there’s the possibility that our state will grant even more subsidy to the petrochemical and fracking industries. House Bill 1100 would provide nearly $1 billion in tax credits to new petrochemical projects in Pennsylvania, essentially subsidizing more methane and other greenhouse gas pollution from one of the largest energy consumers.

This will make it virtually impossible to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. Rather than spending taxpayer money on these harmful projects, we should support projects that help reduce our global carbon footprint, like renewable energy development. H.B. 1100 would subsidize some of the world’s wealthiest industries even more, despite the adverse consequences to our climate, health and natural resources. Our communities do not need more plastics. Our communities don’t need to save these industries money with taxpayer dollars, instead we need to fund solutions to current impacts of climate change in our community. As a 20-year-old college student, I am extremely disappointed by the lack of regard for my own well being and the future of my generation. Instead of rewarding the fracking and petrochemical industries for threatening public health and natural resources, lawmakers should be holding them accountable for the damage they’ve done. Luckily, Gov. Wolf vetoed H.B. 1100 but Sen. Jake Corman and Rep. Scott Conklin must support it, doing otherwise would be an unethical waste of taxpayer dollars.

Actions needed to help local residents, businesses

Both businesses and individuals during this period will not necessarily have funds for any expenses. Many people live paycheck to paycheck, therefore we should:

1. Suspend and cancel all taxes for this period, with no accrued taxes due at the end of this period.

2. Stop all rents and mortgages payments during this period and no accrual of these due later.

3. Forbid any foreclosures and evictions during this period for businesses, rentals and household based on failure to pay rents or mortgages.

4. Maintain all water, trash pickup, sewer and power needs, during this period.

5. Governmentally supply a standard income for every adult and child for food and other necessities.

6. Pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies can charge no more than actual costs, and the government covers these costs.

7. Food markets, pharmacies and other essential businesses stay open and be required to take reasonable measures to insure consumer and worker safety for this virus.

8. Online service and product suppliers must supply reasonable measures and training to ensure the safety of their workers at all levels.

9. Required safety and medical equipment should be centrally controlled and loaned for distributed on a need basis based only on scientific data collection. Companies should be forced to produce at cost this equipment in the quantities needed. Less expensive versions that are still well constructed, such as ventilators, should be brought into production, no buyout suppression of less expensive competitors.

That should preserve businesses and peoples lives through this pandemic.