Your coverage of last week’s storm (“Central Hudson crews work to restore service after damaging storms” September 8) revealed our area’s extensive network of mutual support. While dry ice and water were made available, safety tips were reviewed and emergency contacts were provided, Central Hudson’s crews were on the job, along with 150 “mutual aid line workers.”

Clearly, we have the resources, technology, people and shared sense of purpose to help each other in emergencies. Which leads me to wonder, how much could we accomplish if we had a more immediate sense of the climate emergency that is happening every day?

We applaud forceful government action when the electricity goes off. Yet as floods, storms, and fires rage throughout the planet, some would urge us to slow our transition away from the use of fossil fuels that is causing these disasters.

With the Cap-and-Invest Program, Governor Kathy Hochul seeks to address climate change by requiring greenhouse gas emitters to purchase allowances when they go over a certain level of emissions. This plan is worthwhile, but slow, and it addresses only one half of the equation. As we limit emissions, we need to increase our energy sources that do not emit. That means the Governor must speed up the State’s offshore wind projects and solar and wind installations. Revenues from “cap and invest” can support that effort.

Life seems to return to normal when the lights are back on, but, as the recent storm reminds us, “normal” is only temporary as long as it relies on burning oil and gas.