To the editor:

Save the River, based in Clayton, recently held their Save The River’s 28th Winter Environmental Conference. The agenda for the Feb. 4 event listed all the speakers including “Rep. Elise Stefanik, whose district covers the entire length of the St. Lawrence River in the U.S., will speak on the strides made to protect the River Community and the important work done on issues ranging from Plan 2014 to combating invasive species.”

Three days earlier, on Feb. 1, Rep. Stefanik had voted to allow coal mining companies to once again dump toxic wastes into local streams without any environmental monitoring. The removal of all monitoring of these toxic waste products has been a long sought change by coal mining companies. The changes to the Clean River Rule, which Rep. Stefanik supported, apply to all types of mining, including mines located within the 21st District.

While the removal of all monitoring is in itself a horrendous environmental decision, what is worth noting is that coal production in the United States is used primarily for energy production. Anyone who has lived in the North Country for any length of time knows firsthand the effects that acid rain has had throughout the 21st Congressional District. In addition, mercury released as a direct result of burning coal is known to have a detrimental effect on loons in the Adirondacks. The increased mercury level in local fish has been identified by the New York State Department of Health as making the fish unsafe to eat. (https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2800.pdf)

When Rep. Stefanik voted for the removal of waste monitoring for the coal industry, she also voted for increased coal mining and increased coal-based energy production. By doing so, Rep. Stefanik voted against the health, economic and environmental interests of the 1,000 Islands Region, the Adirondacks and the Champlain Valley — the entire 21st Congressional District, that place we who live here call the North Country.

To see a visual representation of exactly how Rep. Stefanik’s vote will affect the air quality of the 21st District, I encourage you to view this website http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/watch-air-pollution-flow-across-planet-real-time and view how wind-borne air pollutants flow across the 21st District from the coal-based energy production states located in the Midwest. Rep. Stefanik is no environmentalist. She has put the interests of coal mining companies and coal-based energy production above the interests of her constituents. Rep. Stefanik voted against the interests of the people who actually live, work, farm, own property and breathe the air in the 21st Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Pete Benson

Saranac Lake