Published in the June 8 edition of The Long Island Advance

To the Editor of the Long Island Advance:

As residents of a coastal island, living all but surrounded by water, we might expect that our Congressman, Lee Zeldin, would do everything in his power to protect us against rising sea levels, more severe storms and the many other harmful consequences of climate change.

Surely as a member of the House Climate Solutions Caucus, which as the Advance previously reported Mr. Zeldin joined just weeks before he stood for re-election last November, one would expect Mr. Zeldin to join 21 other members of that caucus, Republicans and Democrats, in a letter to President Trump urging him not to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement. That letter, sent to Mr. Trump on April 26th as debate in the White House reached a critical juncture, urged the president to take a “responsible approach” and listed multiple reasons why withdrawing from the Paris agreement would be damaging to our safety, to our economy, to our country and to the world.

But no, Mr. Zeldin refused to join his 21 Climate Caucus colleagues in signing the bi-partisan letter, even though Mr. Zeldin’s signature would have carried particular weight because Mr. Zeldin was an early supporter, and remains a steadfast supporter, of Mr. Trump.

History will not look kindly on those, like Mr. Zeldin, who were in a position to act but chose not to, while Mr. Trump proceeded to turn the momentous decision regarding the Paris climate agreement into a soap opera starring himself. Perhaps we could call it: “As the World Burns.”

Sincerely,

Marc Rauch
Bellport