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Together, let's be good environmental stewards.

Since the beginning of my first term as Representative for Utah's 4th Congressional District, I have sought not only to listen to my constituents, but to align my priorities in Congress with theirs. In that time, I have consistently observed how deeply Utahns care about environmental issues — and rightfully so.

We live in our nation's most beautiful state, and many of us actively seek out opportunities to enjoy that beauty by recreating outdoors. Personally, there are few things that I love more than trail running through the Wasatch Mountains. Like you, I want to preserve the unique beauty of our state for generations to come.

All of us want to continue enjoying the "greatest snow on earth." Each of us appreciates and relies upon clean watersheds. And none of us wants to continue experiencing the effects of polluted air, which not only conceals our state's natural majesty but also threatens our physical health. Unfortunately, our toxic political climate threatens our ability to effectively address our physical climate.

Too many individuals and organizations present false choices, pressuring individuals to choose between ideological extremes and inviable options. We don't need to have either a thriving economy or a clean environment. We can have both. We don't need to choose between overreaching but inefficient solutions and complete inaction — we should choose neither. Our country is filled with bright minds and innovative ideas. We cannot afford to let these go to waste while we remain locked in a zero-sum game. Disagreements will always exist, but political discourse should be more focused on how to achieve our shared goals than identifying and ostracizing perceived heretics on both sides of the aisle.

Last year, I held a discussion with constituents, business leaders, scientists and economists to learn more about effective principles of stewardship. Despite the diverse crowd, I left feeling hopeful. Since then, I have worked to identify and support several legislative items that foster responsible energy development and cleaner air. Looking to build on these efforts, and in response to my constituents, I recently joined the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.

The Climate Solutions Caucus offers members of Congress an opportunity to come together to discuss what we're for, rather than just what we're against. Members of the caucus will seek to learn more about environmental threats and cutting edge technologies and will actively engage in constructive conversations to identify and craft policies that implement solutions. Each of us offers a different perspective and represents a different constituency, but we share the same responsibility.

Like President Reagan, I believe that "[o]ur physical health, our social happiness, and our economic well-being will be sustained only by all of us working in partnership as thoughtful, effective stewards of our natural resources."

Utahns — and all Americans — deserve informed, respectful, solutions oriented conversations that yield beneficial solutions. I look forward to engaging in these conversations with my colleagues and hope to find those solutions in the near future.

Rep. Mia Love represents Utah's 4th Congressional District.