President Biden is in Washington today for Earth Day – a day dedicated to protecting the environment, reducing pollution, and working together to create a cleaner future. In the spirit of this special day, I hope the president will take some time to see firsthand the environmental devastation happening right here in our state.

Because if he’s serious about cleaning up our environment, then he will go see the irreparable damage the dumping of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Puget Sound is doing to critically endangered salmon and orca populations, the Sound’s water quality, and the entire ecosystem.

If he’s serious about leading the world in reducing carbon emissions, then he will remind officials here of the need for more clean, renewable energy – not less. That means saying no to tearing out the four Lower Snake River dams, which are critical to the river system that provides clean energy to the entire region.

If he’s serious about cleaning up our streets, then he will take action to address the inhumane living conditions in tent cities popping up across downtown Seattle and cities across America, serving as ground zero for rampant drug abuse and violent crime.

These are real crises impacting real people across Washington, and if we want to solve them, then we need to work together. But that starts with the president seeing these issues with his own eyes and making a good-faith effort to understand how they are the direct result of failed policies. It’s time to turn things around and prevent our once-beautiful cities from turning into dangerous, polluted communities that people feel unsafe visiting.

You can read my letter to President Biden here.