I want to thank Makyla Hammer for her letter, “Take care of oceans,” reminding us of the impacts of climate change on our oceans and fish. She pointed out that oceans feed not just our own freezers and fishing fleets, but the mouths of billions of people worldwide. The double-whammy of ocean warming and ocean acidification are shrinking coral reef habitat, killing fish and pushing them out of traditional fishing grounds. Warming creeks and rivers are causing Alaska’s salmon runs to succumb before they can spawn.
Ms. Hammer called for increased education and awareness of these impacts, and increased research. She also calls for increased action. One of the most — if not the most — effective policies Congress can enact is HR 763 — the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan bill returns all the proceeds of a price on carbon to American families in monthly dividends. Please ask Congressman Don Young and Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski to pass this straightforward, strong climate legislation.
— George Donart
Anchorage
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