Cynical strategy won’t mend serious problem
In his attack on sensible rules to prevent methane waste from the oil and gas industry (“The full story on methane,” My View, July 30), Ryan Flynn, executive director of New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, demonized environmentalists. Echoing extreme right-wing talking points, Flynn denigrated methane rule supporters as “morally superior” (three times), “arrogant,” and “paternalistic” for wanting to curb industry’s wasteful practices.
It’s only fair then to apply these cheap shots to Gov. Susana Martinez, since her Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department issued orders in 2015 and 2016 requiring operators to report venting and flaring and to submit gas capture plans “with the ultimate goal to reduce methane emissions.”
Operators are expecting huge profits on new wells in the Permian Basin, against which the costs to control methane waste are insignificant.
Flynn also uses industry’s customary bait and switch: Oppose federal rules in favor of state rules; but when states act, complain about a “patchwork” of state and federal regulation. It’s a cynical strategy to avoid regulation altogether.
Thomas Singer
Santa Fe
Redesignate dollars
I have a suggestion. Let’s not landscape the new pedestrian tunnel, aka urinal, and let’s put that money toward pre-K.
David Cunningham
Santa Fe
Costly landscaping
Leroy Pacheco, an engineer with the city’s Public Works Department (“Committee authorizes $104,000 for underpass landscaping project,” Aug. 1), needs to be told that Santa Fe taxpayers do not want to spend $104,000 of taxpayer money to landscape the new underpass under St. Francis Drive just north of Cerrillos Road.
I find it unbelievable that the city can’t purchase all of the trees, shrubs, etc. needed from a local nursery and have our city workers landscape the underpass, as well as maintain the landscaping for much less than $104,000.
Santa Fe residents deserve better. Whoever does the job, they should make sure that a high-quality weed barrier is used — something that never seems to get done on other landscaping projects around town — so the landscaping won’t be overrun with weeds in a year or two. Paying a few extra bucks up front for the good stuff saves time, energy and resources down the line.
Shirley Cruse
Santa Fe
Bullying and brainwashing
It is reprehensible to me that the GOP keeps repeating that, “We promised the American people that we would repeal Obamacare,” even as thousands of their own constituents line the streets begging to keep the critical components of the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) alive. Since its inception, the GOP and the right-wing media have relentlessly pounded into the heads of their voters that the Affordable Care Act was a failure and should be repealed.
Follow the money. Who is financing Republican congress members? Big pharma and big insurance companies. Why would these enormous entities wish to finance Republicans? Because they don’t want to insure people with pre-existing conditions; they don’t want limits on their profits; they don’t want government scrutiny. They surely don’t want to compete with publicly funded Medicare and in open exchanges.
“Say it often enough and people will believe that it is true.” Brainwashing has become the de facto strategy to convince certain people to vote against their own best interests.
Tom Lopez
Longmont, Colo.
Greed-driven project
Regarding Monday’s front-page story (“Developer eyes space north of N.M. 599,” Aug. 7), this is but another greed-driven project that comes from a developer who does not live here, has not done a marketing or environmental study, has little regard for the invaluable aspects of open space or public lands, and disregards the intentional layout of this area, which was envisioned as a beautiful place to live in harmony with the surrounding terrain. As a homeowner who saved and paid a lot to live here, specifically for the rural aspects of this area, I will stand against this misguided project and take whatever steps necessary to block it.
Marc Kagan
Santa Fe