Let’s fight Trump on EPA, energy cuts

By Cynthia McCoy, Las Vegas

Sunday, April 9, 2017 | 2 a.m.

Just as Nevada was poised to become a leader in clean and alternative energy production, the Trump administration decided to slash funding for EPA and the Department of Energy, two departments that work closely together. Our senators have always been united in keeping our state free of nuclear waste; now is the time for them to unite again to keep Nevada’s air and water clean and its economy strong.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a health, safety and economic issue for every constituent.

The environment is not just an intellectual argument. It is personal, especially for those with health problems. Both my son and I suffer from asthma. For him, that meant coughing all night, lost days of school and endless visits to the doctor for shots just so he could breathe. For me, it’s staying inside if the wind is blowing or the smog is bad.

But there is also economic pain when alternative energy workers lose their jobs. For my family and all Nevada families, it seems more important than ever that Sens. Dean Heller and Catherine Cortez Masto team up to protect Nevada’s environment and economy from cuts to the EPA and Energy. Our state had been looking toward a future that promised cleaner air and new jobs in clean industry. All that will come to a halt if this important funding is suddenly yanked away.

This isn’t about regulations. It’s about imagining a better Nevada for all of us.