November 20, 2019
Wednesday PM

I was appalled to learn of your recent statement at the AFN conference. To say that climate change is not an emergency in Alaska is incorrect, at best, and malfeasance of the most egregious kind, at worst.

We just experienced the hottest summer on record. Sea levels have risen, forcing coastal villages to relocate. Habitat for polar bears and other arctic mammals is disappearing at an alarming rate. The interior experienced devastating wildfires, as did south central and the Kenai Peninsula. The water levels in key salmon streams was dangerously low. Southern southeast communities were forced to rely on diesel power to supply electricity due to low levels of water in lakes supplying hydropower. An extreme drought was declared. In our oceans, whales were dying in large numbers due to starvation, arguably caused by warmer ocean temperatures which killed off plankton and krill.

You, sir, are wrong. I ask you to seek information from scientists whose expertise in environmental matters should be informing your statements. Do not parrot irresponsible denials which will lead to great harm to our state and its inhabitants.

Thank you for your attention. I look forward to a public retraction of your statement, and the development of policies designed to mitigate the damage caused by climate change.

Sincerely,

Terri Robbins
Ketchikan, Alaska

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Received November 20, 2019 - Published November 20, 2019

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