Thanks for Katheleen Conti’s coverage of increases in flood insurance due to stormier weather (“Flood zones face costlier insurance,” May 9) and Congress’s expectation that national flood insurance accurately reflect flood risks.
Higher insurance rates are a cost of climate change. Homeowners in areas recently folded into flood zones are an example of climate change costing individuals money now.
The article advises readers to contact their insurance agents to see how changing weather patterns will affect their insurance rates. However, readers really should call their congressional representative, senators, and the White House demanding federal legislation to fight climate change.
The best approach is with a carbon pollution tax that would charge fossil fuel companies a fee for the pollution their products currently emit for free, and would rebate the fee to homeowners who are already bearing the financial burdens of climate change.