Despite the climate change-denying attitude of the incoming administration, good climate news is emerging. In the U.S. Congress, climate change is starting to be recognized as a fact rather than a political issue. More Republicans are facing the climate crisis and are interested in doing something about it.

When Rep. John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, founded the Conservative Climate Caucus of the House a few years ago, he expected little interest. Instead many joined, and the number has climbed to 87. Both the Senate and the House have had a Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus for several years now. As disasters from the warming atmosphere increase and cost lives and billions of dollars, it is great to see this becoming a bipartisan issue.

We are starting to see pluralism at work (as defined by our founders like James Madison). People with very different opinions on many issues are agreeing on this one issue and working together. The margins in the Senate and House are so small that any nonfinancial legislation that cannot be passed by reconciliation has to be bipartisan. This is a good way for climate legislation to pass since bipartisan legislation is less likely to be repealed in the future.

At the present time there is a bipartisan effort to pass a permitting reform bill in this lame duck session. If S4753 passes, it will allow the U.S. to modernize its electrical grid quickly and expand renewables. Let’s hope pluralism prevails and Congress works together on this bill.

Nancy Hasenfus
Brunswick