Here is the response of Leah Lopez Schmalz, president of Save the Sound, to today’s inaugural address by President Trump:
“Despite criticizing the federal response to the fires in L.A. and the fall hurricane that ripped through the southeast, President Trump made no mention of the biggest factors fueling that destruction: pollution that’s destabilizing our climate and a lack of investment in community resilience,” said Leah Lopez Schmalz, president of Save the Sound. “Instead the president sounds poised to take us backwards by a century or two. Between the increased air pollution promised today and the rollbacks of core environmental regulations threatened previously, it’s clear we can’t rely on the federal government to protect our health and safety.
“Here in the Long Island Sound region, though, Save the Sound will continue fighting for healthy air and water and safe communities, as we have through over 50 years and 11 presidential administrations. Our state legislative agendas for New York and Connecticut this year prioritize investing in clean water, reducing energy usage and bills through efficiency, and strengthening environmental rights. Our decades of legal experience have prepared us to defend against attempts to weaken core environmental laws. And our on-the-ground and on-the-water teams will keep spotting and fixing pollution hotspots and leading cutting-edge resilience projects to prepare our communities for whatever comes our way.
“As we move forward, we will continue to bring people of all walks of life together, shining a light on the incredible things we can do to revive habitats, open rivers, protect forests, and ensure our beaches are clean when we are united in collective action.”
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