Lawrence mayor signs letter objecting to Trump’s environmental policies

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt, third from left, and Vice President Mike Pence, right, is applauded as he hold up the signed Energy Independence Executive Order, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at EPA headquarters in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

The signature of Lawrence Mayor Leslie Soden will be added to a growing list of U.S. mayors objecting to President Donald Trump’s environmental policies.

As part of its meeting this week, the Lawrence City Commission authorized the mayor to sign a letter written by the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda to Trump. The letter objects to Trump’s rollback of climate policies and proposed budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Climate change is both the greatest single threat we face, and our greatest economic opportunity for our nation,” the letter states. “That is why we affirm our cities’ commitments to taking every action possible to achieve the principles and goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, and to engage states, businesses and other sectors to join us.”

On March 28, Trump signed an executive order to reverse course on climate policies enacted during the Obama administration, including the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to replace coal-fired power plants with wind and solar energy. Trump touted the order as bringing back coal mining jobs, and signed it alongside several miners.

The letter to Trump concludes by urging him to change course by addressing climate change and promoting a “21st century economy.”

Soden’s signature joins more than 50 others from across the country, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.