I love Maine most for its natural beauty: the lakes, rivers and streams; the forests, mountains and coasts. Those wondrous places draw me back, year after year, so that I may hike, swim, ski, climb and canoe.

But climate change is threatening the preservation of those landscapes, and future Mainers will be left without their rightful inheritance if action isn’t taken now.

Currently, power plants are the largest source of carbon pollution nationwide; the 50 dirtiest U.S. plants are responsible for more carbon than all but six other countries. Despite that alarming reality, there are no federal limits on carbon emissions for power plants.

If there is to be any hope to stave off climate change and preserve Maine’s verdant and vibrant wilderness, the public must urge President Obama to move forward with strong carbon standards for power plants this spring.

Jordan Becker, Lewiston