FILE - In this May, 3, 2019, file photo, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., speaks at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. The federal government has decided to delay changing the way it determines funding for rural education after a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Hassan and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the move would hurt hundreds of schools. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan released the following statement on Earth Day:

“The Granite State is home to beautiful natural treasures including the White Mountains, the Seacoast, and pristine forests and lakes – just to name a few. And over the last year, Granite Staters and visitors alike have grown to appreciate our environment even more as we spend more time outside amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, climate change threatens the health of our people, our natural resources, our way of life, and our economy. Without significant action, New Hampshire will continue to see increased flooding, unseasonable temperatures, and more extreme weather events. On Earth Day, we must all recommit to preserving our environment in order to protect the health of our citizens and our economy, and to ensure that generations to come can enjoy our natural treasures.”

Senator Hassan is working to protect the environment and address the harmful impacts of climate change. Senator Hassan worked to pass into law bipartisan legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands. The Land and Water Conservation Fund helps preserve and maintain critical lands for national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and recreational areas in New Hampshire and across the country. Senator Hassan also recently joined in urging the Biden administration to allow state, tribal, and local governments to use funds allocated through the American Rescue Plan to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including in local water supplies. Last month, Senator Hassan led a number of her colleagues in reintroducing bipartisan legislation to support and expand programs such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a collaborative effort across 11 states including New Hampshire that uses market-based tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector.

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