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Letter: Here’s a bright spot in Utah politics — two Republicans want to acknowledge climate change

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune File Photo) Poor air quality blankets the valley, obscuring visibility and increasing health concerns.

While political discourse on the national level continues to disappoint more than we thought possible, there are some bright spots in the state Legislature this year.

Yep, you read that right.

Two Republican legislators, Rep. Ray Ward and Rep. Becky Edwards, are each sponsoring a resolution (HCR1 and HCR4, respectively) that acknowledges climate change as a serious issue and calls for emissions reductions.

Even though these resolutions are small steps, they represent a huge change in the Utah’s political culture on this issue.

Just eight years ago the Legislature passed a resolution casting doubt on the reality of climate change. Let’s hope the Legislature and governor approve one or both of these resolutions and get to the hard part: taking meaningful steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and clean up our air.

Anders Hart, Logan