LETTERS 05/16/08

Byron Combs

Kansas City

Hooray for Ross Balano’s column. I’d like to expand on one point. He writes, “Remember all the dire predictions about the Alaska pipeline before it was built? Those proved to be unfounded.” Precisely.

All you “environmentalists” who are against developing 2,000 acres out of 19 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge need to visit vast land swaths in western Kansas. There, cattle graze and millions of bushels of wheat are harvested, while oil wells all around them nod up and down and new oil derricks drill new holes. ANWAR is thought to contain at least 10 billion barrels of oil.

It’s a no-brainer. The internal combustion engine, fueled by hydrocarbon products, is the greatest industrial invention of all time. The United States’ standard of living was greatly increased by this discovery. Can we please let the marketplace keep working for us, instead of against us?

Dyrk Dugan

Overland Park

Ross Balano hit the nail on the head. It is sad that our country has no energy plan, but not much can be expected when leadership is lacking in both parties.

If the environmentalists of today had been around 150 years ago, we probably would not have many conveniences and comforts we enjoy today. Natural gas and the installation of gas lines would have been said to be too hazardous and destructive. Power, phone and transmission lines and poles would have been deemed too unsightly and environmentally unfriendly. The same could have been said of automobiles, airplanes, highways, skyscrapers and other advancements to which we are accustomed.

Protecting the environment is important, but common sense must be exercised doing so.

Austin E. Van Buskirk

Kansas City

Coal plants in Kansas

We just returned from a drive through Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. We couldn’t see 10 miles away, even after a storm. The air was as hazy as China until we got to the western slope of Colorado. All those wide open spaces were enveloped in a smoggy haze.

Kansans and Kansas City people should think long and hard about another coal-powered plant to the west of us. Sometimes we have to consider what is really best for the future rather than money for the moment. We did see a huge wind farm being built, and the scattered oil pumps were working.

Now, who profits from a coal plant in the far rural part of Kansas?

Letty Baker

Gladstone

The failure of the Kansas Legislature to override Gov. Sebelius’ veto of a coal-fired power plant has more grave consequences than most voters realize. Plug-in hybrid automobiles are expected to hit the mass market in 2010. They will have a range of 500-plus miles. By utilizing smart electric meters and nonpeak times, recharge is expected to cost about $2.

Pacific Northwest National Labs stated that power plants can meet the needs of 73 percent of the cars, thus cutting oil consumption by 6.2 million barrels a day and eliminating 52 percent of oil imports. C02 emissions would be cut by 450 million metric tons a year, effectively scrapping 82 million cars.

Now, the kicker: If coal-fired plants furnished all the electricity, C02 emissions would fall because coal is burned more efficiently than cars burn gasoline.

By 2010, the governor will be modeling her Oscar de La Renta gown elsewhere, and the Legislature will be wiping the pie off their faces.

Tom Hammack

Camdenton, Mo.

Obama’s lack of experience

Edwidge Danticat (5/12, Opinion, “Pro-con: Does Barack Obama offer a real possibility for change?”) thinks Obama would bring a groundbreaking change of leadership to the U.S.

 

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