Josh RIley Voted To Bring Ithaca More Toxic Summers
Josh Riley voted to keep America burning fossil fuels longer.
Josh Riley sacrificed Ithaca summers for the sake of corporate profits.
The air in Ithaca was deadly today, with climate-amplified Canadian wildfires sending plumes of toxic air pollution into Tompkins County and across New York’s 19th congressional district. Americans from Massachusetts all the way over the New England are having to stay inside this weekend because it’s a health hazard simply to breath the air outside. This is the third year in a row that’s happened.
It happened because people have burned so many fossil fuels that the global climate is experiencing unnatural rapid heating and chaotic, destructive weather patterns.
At the same time, climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels has made Cayuga Lake deadly to touch. Health advisories have warned that this summer, all of Cayuga Lake is experiencing algal blooms that create neurotoxins that can sicken, and even kill, people who enter the water. People have been advised that it’s not even safe to take a boat out onto the water.
There Cayuga Lake sits, looking so beautiful, and so cool, and we can’t swim in it. We can’t enjoy it at all, because the entire lake has turned toxic. This didn’t use to happen. Now, each year, the level of neurotoxins in Cayuga Lake becomes more and more dangerous. That’s because the algae that creates the neurotoxin grows faster in warm water. The waters of Cayuga Lake are heating up because of climate change that was caused by the burning of fossil fuels in internal combustion engines.
Internal combustion engines are antiquated technology from a century ago. We have better technology now that enables people to drive cars without releasing as much air pollution and greenhouse gases into our planet’s atmosphere.
Democratic US Representative Doris Matsui warned that air pollution levels are already killing 50,000 Americans every year - and the deadly air pollution is getting worse each year.
Congressman Josh Riley didn’t listen to his colleagues in the Democratic Party. Instead, Josh Riley chose to listen to lobbyists from big oil corporations, and companies that make internal combustion engines.
Three months ago, Josh Riley voted for the Republican Party’s H.J. Res. 88, which forbids California from incentivizing clean car technology. H.J. Res. was designed to keep America burning fossil fuels.
Josh Riley chose to side with big business instead of with Democrats.
Josh Riley chose to prolong the use of dirty, climate-wrecking internal combustion engines.
Because of Josh Riley’s decision, Ithaca is going to be experiencing many more toxic summers in the future.
Josh Riley wrecked Ithaca summers for generations to come, for the sake of short-term corporate profits.
That’s not what Ithaca elected Josh Riley to do.