Go slow, energy industry

It gets tiring to hear the oil and gas industry beat its breast about its contributions to America and demand an even greater share of public lands and easier permitting while it collects record profits on the backs of Americans’ health and the global climate. Holly Hopkins with the American Petroleum Institute (“Energy powers jobs,” Letters to the Editor, March 20) certainly has a right to speak up for her industry. But let’s be honest. Her organization has played a central role in the climate change devastating New Mexico. The institute lied for years as it denied the very data it had that showed the immense damages from burning fossil fuels. Instead of speaking up to protect Americans, it fostered climate denialism and now employs greenwashing, pretending it cares about the environment while digging up oil and gas at record rates and demanding more and more and more.

It is important that advocates and government officials not allow the industry to continue to run roughshod over the health of New Mexicans and other Americans. The impacts of fracking and other methods on human health are well proven, as are the industry’s contributions to rising global temperatures. It is time to go slow and be thoughtful about proposed industry expansion rather than adopting the “drill, baby, drill” approach for which Hopkins advocates. Tighter regulations, higher royalties to use for health care and a firmer move to renewables are the way to go here, not drilling more at any cost, regardless of the impacts.

D. Reed Eckhardt

Santa Fe