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In July, we saw Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., vote in favor of the attempted repeal of the Affordable Care Act, jeopardizing the health and livelihood of Nevadans. Not only has the Trump administration and Congress attempted to take away health care from millions of Americans, they are also working to drastically reduce environmental regulations and the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency. With the United States’ intention to withdrawl from the Paris Climate Agreement in combination with proposed federal rollbacks, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: clean air and water are not a top priority. The Trump administration is yielding to the demands of polluters instead of protecting the health of our communities.
While proposing budget cuts that slash EPA’s funding by 31 percent, the Trump administration is working to roll back regulations like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act that protect our environment from dangerous pollutants.
EPA chief Scott Pruitt’s “back to basics” approach actually means more pollution. One place where the EPA budget cuts will be strongly felt is the Superfund cleanup program, which faces a 25 percent reduction. This will affect hazardous waste sites across the nation — including locations in Nevada, like the Lyon County Coppermine. With intensified heat waves as a result of climate change and the rollback of important regulations that protect our air and water, we must make a stand. We must hold our politicians accountable and continue to fight for environmental protection even when the federal government chooses to look the other way. It is time for Sen. Heller to stand up for Nevadans by supporting environmental protection and public health and voting against the proposed budget.