Letters to the Editor

Frustrated at Billy Long's response on climate change

I am “fed up” and disappointed — two strikes against Mr. Billy Long. In a recent letter, I asked him to support legislation to curb global warming. Below I have summarized his reply. Given its tone, I really doubt that he is “glad to have the benefit of” my views.

Mr. Long is lost, ill-informed and soon to be on the wrong side of history when he states; “Climate change remains the subject of considerable controversy both in the scientific and political communities." According to NASA and 18 scientific associations 97% or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree that climate warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities.

Mr. Long is also on the wrong side of history when he states, “Our national economy also remains vulnerable to considerable harm that would follow from many government initiatives that have been proposed to counter climate change." Solar energy does not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases. It has a positive, indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources. Yet, the current administration has imposed a 30% tariff on solar equipment made abroad. The Solar Energy Industries Association has projected tens of thousands of job losses in a sector that employs 260,000 people.

Mr. Long is lost and ill-informed when he states; “I do not support agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) circumventing Congress to enact unauthorized regulations that should be enacted through the legislative process." Yet, he supports the current administration's rollback of 67 environmental rules without the interaction of the legislative process, including attacks on our National Parks Service and restricting park employees to provide public information and education on the impacts of climate change to our various park environments. He supports the giveaway of our public lands for development and private sector interest.

Mr. Long is also ill-informed when he states, “I support an "all of the above" energy strategy that maximizes our ability to utilize whatever natural resources are most economical, including oil, coal and nuclear power." A true “all of the above” energy strategy would embrace every source of American-made energy, including renewables such as wind and solar while holding electric consumption constant. A true “all of the above” strategy would have substantial economic and energy security benefits and reduce carbon emissions to tackle the challenge of climate change.

Mr. Long is lost, ill informed and already on the wrong side of history when he states, “Protecting the environment should never be an excuse to impose new taxes, regulations or other handicaps on the American economy, nor should we be hesitant to use the cheap and abundant fossil fuels that our economy relies on." What? Clean water, clean air, uncontaminated soils, a chemical free and secure food chain and the constitutional right to the pursuit of health rates lower than the American economy? Not only is Mr. Long on the wrong side of history; he is on the wrong side of humanity and the protection of life on our planet, which, in fact, should be his and his co-workers' number one objective.

Fed up, disappointed and now outraged. That’s three strikes, Mr. Long.

Terry Whaley, Springfield, is the former executive director of Ozark Greenways, now retired.