Revisit the issues; re-evaluate findings

Our premier stated Islanders must do more to reduce emissions and conserve resources to address climate concerns.

Thirteen government buildings presently are heated by biomass with seven more slated for 2016. Combustion of biomass creates air pollutants in the form of carbon monoxide. Black carbon, a pollutant, can be created by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass and is possibly the second largest contributor to global warming. Biomass takes large tracts of agricultural land out of food production, reduces the carbon control of forests, and extracts nutrients from the soil. Why isn’t our government installing solar panels instead?

As of 2012, 76 per cent of P.E.I.’s energy supply was from imported oil. This is oil used to generate electricity and almost half a billion dollars is spent annually on this imported energy source both by government as well as homeowners who pay their electricity bill. In 2012 wind energy accounted for roughly 14 per cent of P.E.I.’s energy supply while biomass accounted for another 10 per cent.

In Baie Verte, N.B., there is a natural gas terminal at a distance of 45.9 kilometres from the Confederation Bridge. Natural gas is cost efficient and environmentally friendlier, possibly the cleanest of all fossil fuels and is much cheaper than crude oil. Government owns provincial land in Borden-Carleton. We are going to purchase a new $50 million standby generator for additional power during power shortages. Clean up the environmental mess in your land in Borden Carleton and install it there and use liquefied natural gas to run it. Why have Cavendish and ADL switched to liquefied natural gas?

Our premier should instruct his minister of energy to revisit these two issues and re-evaluate the findings. Only then will government start to address climate concerns constructively. Gary A. O. MacKay, Birch Hill