To the Editor:

I’m a college student and a new voter. Like a lot of people my age, one of my primary concerns when I vote and look toward a brighter future is with the environment. I recognize that, without our planet, we don’t have a future. We don’t have our health. We don’t have our environment or our wildlife.

PFAS [per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances] are particularly concerning since they’re a danger to public health in every aspect imaginable. Because PFAS bioaccumulates, the risks they pose — like cancer, infertility, thyroid disease, and [improper] child development — increase with each moment we choose to stand idle.

Thankfully, Representative Paul Tonko led the charge against PFAS with the recent bi-partian passage of the PFAS Action Act. In my lifetime, I haven’t seen a lot of bi-partisan work, which makes this bill even more remarkable.

Our exposure — and the environment’s — is limited because of this bill. Sites that are contaminated are required to be cleaned up. PFAS are extensively tested and monitored — which is undeniably important since they’ve been found in our drinking water. It holds polluters accountable.

My generation has been fighting for climate justice since we’ve found our voice. With this bill, Representative Tonko helps to lead the charge. 

We need and deserve representatives that believe in us, that listen to us, that fight for us. Paul Tonko does just that. 

Astrid Marz 

Duanesburg