That's how it is. Period.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water


        Hey, look: We don’t want the oil companies to drill here (NIMBY), nor there or anywhere. So, how many of us have abandoned our automobiles (which are significantly more dangerous to our children) and unhooked our homes and businesses from natural gas to cancel our need for fossil fuels?
        While I appreciate NOAA’s mission to save us from ourselves, it seems odd that one of its scientists would be out discussing a study (Erie) that scares the daylights out of people, but apparently hasn’t been vetted or even published yet for review. This is a sure recipe for panic.
       Further, knowing something of the critical role fossil fuels play in the newspaper industry, I was surprised to see Times-Call business editor Tony Kindelspire jumping aboard the anti-fracking bandwagon (April 1 column), for it should be clear that this issue is being exploited as a way to stop all drilling.
       In his April 4 guest column, former city manager Gordon Pedrow wants each municipality to be allowed to put its own restrictions on drilling. The Colorado Legislature long ago considered that aspect and decided, properly, that to avoid the chaos which overregulation brings, the state must keep control. For the city of Longmont to even consider suing the Attorney General of Colorado for enforcing the law is not a good idea.
      Instead, I say, use that lawsuit money to chip-seal the streets. Uh-oh. That would require using lots of oil and where does it come from?
      Please, I’m not out to harm children. Also, I respect the gentlemen mentioned here and honor their freedom of speech.
     Meanwhile, I feel sorry for the people who have to drive to work in order to make a living. Shut down drilling and there’s no place for gasoline prices to go, except up.

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Retired in 1998 after a 50-year career of editing and publishing Colorado small-town weekly newspapers. He served as president of the Colorado Press Association in 1981 and was awarded an honorary lifetime membership.