Nelson County Times – Letters to the Editor – April 2, 2015
I arrived at the FERC meeting at 5:30 p.m. to speak in favor of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline at 5:30.
My talk was interrupted by the rude, rancorous mob against the pipeline as were seven other pro-pipeline speakers before me.
Since I could not finish my talk, I would like to print it.
“Good evening.
“The pipeline is not the problem: Enough energy is the problem because we have so many people.
“So the question is ‘Do we limit who gets energy or do we create new and innovative energy sources? I say the latter! Build the PIPELINE.
“I have been green all my life: recycled when I was 7, went to the first Earth Day, composted over 40 years.
“Some of you do not have air-conditioning or central heating. That is fine.
“You are doing your part to help with the energy problem. I thank you.”
Fact: Most citizens in Nelson County use a lot of electricity. And we cannot continue to generate the same amount and expect to have enough.
In fact, two years ago Nelson County nearly had a brown out. If the pipeline had been operational, we would not have had a problem.
I hear folks saying the pipeline does nothing for Nelson County. That is rather shortsighted and selfish:
» The pipeline will provide more and cheaper electricity for us,
» The pipeline will generate $1.6 million in tax revenue a year.
» The pipeline could deliver natural gas in our homes, a much cheaper energy.
Many who are against the pipeline are against clean coal, fracking, off-shore drilling, building new gasoline cracking plants and nuclear generated electricity. In fact, they are against energy.
Those people are now highly emotional against the pipeline. Emotion may win debates, but is not always right. I am logically for the pipeline to supply electricity now and in the future. We have to do it some way.
We have an abundance of U.S. natural gas so we should use it to supply clean energy. The pipeline is the safest and most efficient way to deliver energy.
STEVE KENDALL
Faber
Real Nelson 