Don’t overlook the nuclear option
Re: “New laws on turf, wild horses, clean energy,” June 11 news story
Among many issues in this article, of note is House Bill 1040, which adds nuclear energy to be counted toward utilities’ clean-energy goals and eligible for financing set aside for clean energy.
Although most environmentalists are opposed to nuclear energy, it is capable of providing large quantities of reliable electrical energy while generating little greenhouse gas emissions. Wind and solar energy are great, but are subject to variations throughout the day and year. How will solar and wind generate enough electricity to get us through a polar vortex that engulfs the Front Range and Midwest into deep, prolonged cold, especially after gas-fired furnaces are replaced with electrically driven heat pumps?
Climate change is a huge crisis, and we need to explore every alternative we can to mitigate it. This includes nuclear power for reliable energy and the mining of lithium needed to make batteries to store electricity produced by wind and solar.
Rich Griffin, Aurora
Fascism in America
“Fascism: a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition.” – Merriam-Webster
I avoid name-calling, especially when politics are involved, believing that the 170,000 commonly used English language words should be sufficient to provide description and to be less provocative. So I use the word “fascism” not to provoke nor as a school-yard taunt. I am, however, at a loss to explain the difference between the definition of fascism and the actions of the current administration, which took an oath to uphold the dictates of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Dona Chilcoat, Lakewood
Another owl under threat right here in Colorado
In the 1980s, rampant cutting of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest led to the listing of the Northern Spotted Owl as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Here in Colorado, it is little known that the Mexican Spotted Owl, the southern cousin of the Northern Spotted Owl and also listed as federally threatened, makes its home in Colorado.
The northernmost populations of Mexican Spotted Owl are only a few hours’ drive from Denver in the Pike–San Isabel National Forest. The species habitat requirements include 30% to 45% of the forest to be large, mature trees of 12” diameter or greater, many large dead trees, and high volumes of fallen trees and woody debris, which is habitat for it’s prey – namely small and medium-sized rodents like mice, voles and even rabbits.
There is about 104,000 acres of designated critical habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl in the South Platte Ranger District of the Pike National Forest. This is the same area where the Lower North South logging project is proposed to cut and clear out some 115,000 acres, including over 4,000 acres of mature and old-growth forest – the habitat of the Mexican Spotted Owl. The Forest Service readily admits the project will likely adversely affect the owl, but has failed to include the safeguards identified in the species recovery plan into the project.
While no one seems to be watching, this secretive, threatened species has its habitat on the chopping block. Are Coloradans OK with this?
Andrew Rothman, Denver
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