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Residents urge Wells to support climate‑action warrant article at select board public comment
Summary
Two residents testified in favor of warrant article 25, urging the town to ask its federal representatives to hold fossil‑fuel interests accountable and to support actions to reduce carbon pollution; both speakers cited scientific evidence and personal concern for future generations.
At the May 19 Select Board meeting, two Wells residents used the public‑comment period to urge support for warrant article 25, a nonbinding request directing the town’s federal representatives to press for action on carbon pollution and accountability for the fossil‑fuel industry.
Patricia O’Neil, a Deer Run Drive resident and Third Act Maine member, said the article would not require the town to spend money or commit to future action but would ask federal officials to act. “We can worry, or we can take action to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable and speed up the transition to cleaner sources of energy,” O’Neil told the board, adding that she urged residents to vote yes on Article 25.
Linda Stephanopoulos, who described a professional background managing satellites that measure sea level and ocean temperature, said long‑term trends show rising sea levels and warming oceans. She cited the Montreal Protocol as an example of successful coordinated policy action and told the board, “We can do the same now for curbing greenhouse gas emissions.” Stephanopoulos asked residents to vote yes on Article 25.
No formal board response or debate on the article occurred during the meeting; both speakers used the allotted public comment time to outline their concerns and the rationale for supporting the warrant article.
Why it matters: Article 25 would be a local expression to federal representatives rather than a local regulatory or spending action; supporters framed it as a way for Wells to urge stronger federal policy on greenhouse gases and to protect local beaches and infrastructure threatened by sea‑level rise.
What’s next: The article will appear on the town warrant for voter consideration; the board did not take action on the measure during the May 19 meeting.
