Opinion: Energy independence is the answer!

Dear Editor,

There have been recent articles supporting President Trump’s implementation of the “Affordable Clean Energy” (ACE) program.

The supporters claim that Obama’s “Clean Power Plan” (CPP) would be too costly to implement and would destroy our balanced energy mix.

Obama’s plan would have the Federal Government set the pollution levels where as Trump’s would allow the States to set their own levels. The production of electrical energy for our grid generates carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. This is particularly true of burning coal. The sulfur and nitrogen molecules contribute to acid rain, the carbon dioxide to climate change and the particulates to respiratory stress.

We should remember that our atmosphere moves around the globe so that air pollutants produced in the mid-west make it to our East Coast and our East Coast pollutants make it across the Atlantic. Almost all life depends on this delicate air blanket.

Abandoning Federal control to the States is the antithesis of what should be done. The reduction of gas efficiencies in motor vehicles is a step back as well. The implementation of the ACE program in lieu of the CPP will only increase our population’s dependency on medical intervention – treatment in lieu of prevention.

Respectfully submitted,

Marty Borko

Waverly, N.Y.