X

Opinion: Stand up to coal industry with vote for Cobb, Canton resident says

Posted 10/18/18

I have spent nearly my entire life hunting and fishing in Upstate New York. Some of my finest memories are of sitting in a small aluminum boat with my father on Lake Champlain, our lines disappearing …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Opinion: Stand up to coal industry with vote for Cobb, Canton resident says

Posted

I have spent nearly my entire life hunting and fishing in Upstate New York. Some of my finest memories are of sitting in a small aluminum boat with my father on Lake Champlain, our lines disappearing into the clear water, and of walking out of the woods at twilight with my grandfather and uncle, rifles slung over our shoulders.

I also remember the effects of acid rain on our North Country waterways and I have spent much of my life trying to observe the DEC limits on fish consumption due to chemical pollutants. Even for the Adirondack Region, one of the most pristine areas in the East, it is recommended that women under 50 and children under 15 do not consume any wild-caught fish due to high levels of mercury.

When my wife was pregnant, it was recommended that she avoid eating organ meat from the venison we harvest, also due to the presence of mercury. According to the Adirondack Council, “Prenatal or early infant exposure to mercury can cause a host of health issues in humans including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness, developmental disorders which can delay motor and communication skills, and learning disabilities.” Much of the mercury in our region comes from coal-fired power plants.

And recent pro-coal initiatives in Washington will only increase our region’s exposure to toxic chemicals for generations to come. While burning coal is good for the economy in parts of Appalachia, it is terrible for us in the North Country.

We need people who will stand up to the coal industry and stand up for us in Washington, and that is why I will be voting for Tedra Cobb in November.

Phil LaMarche

Canton