Include public in talks
about future of energy
Chris Ventura’s letter to the editor (DP-May 1) misses the mark. Real dialogue only happens when everyone gets an equal seat at the table.
Participants in the West Virginia Manufacturers Association’s Marcellus Manufacturing Conference should have listened to the concerns of ordinary folks. We know there are indeed sustainable, reliable and safe energy sources for the residents of the Ohio Valley.
The world faces catastrophic economic, social and environmental effects from climate change. Deploying renewable energy sources should be everyone’s priority. In 2016, there were 3 million jobs in non-fossil fuel energy and energy efficiency, compared to 1 million in fossil energy.
The proposed Appalachian Storage Hub would lock our region into yet another dirty energy economy, while also adding to global plastic pollution. Not smart! The rest of the world is enacting bans on single-use plastics and finding sustainable alternatives such as hemp.
Henry Ford’s 1941 carbon-negative car was made from a plant-based plastic. The material was lighter than fiberglass, 10 times stronger than steel and the car could run on recycled agricultural wastes. Canadian researchers have developed a hemp-based graphene that is 300 times stronger than steel.
NASA says methane leaks from the fracking process have erased any climate benefits from using fracked gas in power plants. The American Lung Association says the Pittsburgh-Weirton area ranks seventh among the dirtiest cities in the U.S. for year-round particle pollution. This can cause lung cancer. The Shell cracker plant will add 159 tons a year of particle pollution to that valley’s air.
It’s easy to ignore scientific studies when your job depends on you refuting those facts. The citizens Ventura called “protesters” are not against progress. We envision a sustainable model of economic development as the way forward; a model that does not require sacrificing our health, safety and the environment.
Politicians and industry captains should have included local residents in their discussions with foreign investors. Now citizens have to resort to using public protests as a form of dialogue.
Dustin White
Charleston
She’ll take Gov. Justice
over Manchin, Tomblin
I agree with Gov. Jim Justice that the previous two governors did nothing for West Virginia. Earl Ray Tomblin was Joe Manchin’s patsy to continue what Manchin did. Absolutely nothing.
Neither Manchin nor Tomblin brought jobs to West Virginia, fixed the roads or did anything for teachers, students, education or workers. But neither did any previous governor of West Virginia. The coal taxes served to pad political pockets.
I find Justice to be unsophisticated, and his speech crude, but outspoken. However, I tend to believe honest people would rather hear a person such as this than one who whispers sweet nothings in your ear.
I once listened to a pastor, who said in his sermon, “You cannot straddle the fence and jump off on the side that pleases you.” That is what Manchin does and voters still think he cares about West Virginians.
He has been in Washington four years and has accomplished nothing for West Virginia or its people. I would like to see the voters put aside the promised free stuff and instead look at legal abortions as murder, and legal marijuana as a step on the ladder that leads to addiction to harder stuff and vote for a person who will work for West Virginia.
If I were governor, I would legalize prostitution, put a casino in all nursing homes and prop the residents up in chairs with a spring on their elbows to help punch the buttons. Look at the taxes we could rake in just legalizing these two things.
When their arms wore out, we could enact a law to euthanize them. I would suggest to Morgantown to annex the nursing homes. Look at the taxes they could pull in there.
I personally believe Manchin found that he is small town compared to the Pelosis, Schumers and other big-time politicians in Washington. I think he wants to come back as governor to feel important again.
I wonder who is buying up all of the natural gas rights in West Virginia?
Linda Newcome
Masontown
