YOUR AD HERE »

Friday letters: Greenhouse gases, COGCC, Boebert, Mitsch Bush, leaf dump, Boebert vs. Mitsch Bush, Soto, and debate?

More important now than ever to reduce greenhouse gases

I want to thank the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission for adopting new rules that will require oil and gas drilling companies to monitor emissions of methane and hazardous air pollutants both while drilling wells and six months into the production phase. This is important because methane is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Also, volatile organic compounds such as benzene, which can cause cancer, are released into the air along with the natural gas.

This year with record setting wildfires and record setting hot weather, it is more important than ever to make real progress toward reducing greenhouse gases and pollution.



Data gathered by this statewide rule will allow the AQCC to hold oil and gas companies accountable for complying with air quality standards, and will also give the commission the information they need to make good decisions in the future. This includes ensuring compliance with House Bill 19-1261, which compels the AQCC to reduce carbon emissions (greenhouse gases) by at least 50% by the year 2030, compared with the greenhouse gas emissions that existed in 2005.

Larry Forman
Battlement Mesa



Thank you COGCC for listening to the people

Thank you to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for putting our health and safety above the industry’s profit motive. It means more than can be expressed that you are attempting to push setbacks from homes and schools from 500 feet to 2,000. The health issues those who live close to drilling sites have reported, from headaches to throat and nose problems, have been ignored for too long.

The inclusion of no exceptions for the distance from schools, the place where our children spend most of their time, is of utmost importance. Our children have enough obstacles to their education without adding the health issues Colorado’s toxicologist has testified to cause. It is time large industries started listening to the people they are impacting with their decisions and it is amazing to see steps being taken to correct industry standards from conserving the oil and gas industry to preservation of the health and safety of people and environment.

The health risks reported of people too close to the drilling of wells, elevated risk of blood disease, neurological disorders, and cancer, are terrifying with the medical crisis today. But, ignoring those complaints, even the minor nuisances that will shrink because of this new regulation — light, noise, dust (and with all the smoke from recent fires and respiratory issues who really needs another breathing irritant), and industrial traffic on public roads can be appreciated in the rise of property values. Again, thank you for listening to the people affected by the industry instead of those who gain from the industry but never have to face the repercussions of their decisions.

Danielle Carver
Clifton

Compromise can be good, Lauren

Among the many strange sentiments Republican 3rd District Congressman candidate Lauren Boebert has expressed is she’s tired of compromises. For a prospective legislator in a 435-seat U.S. House of Representatives, that attitude would put her in a precarious position.

How’s she going to get anything done if she doesn’t work with others? You can’t just dictate legislation. Boebert’s opponent, Diane Mitsch Bush, on the other hand is famous for working across the aisle and developing compromises.

Secretary of State, Senator, and Representative Henry Clay was known as the Great Compromiser because he devised the 1820 Missouri Compromise. It admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state, while Maine came in as a free state, and established any other state north of the 36th parallel, except Missouri, would be free. The compromise was eventually ruled unconstitutional, but it delayed the Civil War by some 40 years.

I wonder if Boebert realizes her beloved 2nd Amendment was the result of a compromise. At the time the Bill of Rights was being devised, the Southern states, who were on the fence about joining the Union anyway, were scared to death of a slave revolt and wanted a well-armed force to protect them from their own slaves. Not caring much about revolts, but wanting the slave states in the fold, the northern states agreed to the 2nd Amendment.
What am I saying? Of course, Boebert doesn’t know any of this because, like her hero in Washington, she’s never read the Constitution or anything about it. Otherwise, she’d have noticed the 2nd Amendment specifies a well-regulated state militia.

Fred Malo Jr.
Carbondale

Diane Mitsch Bush for Congress

Western Colorado needs strong, positive representation in Congress. Diane Mitsch Bush will provide that leadership with smart solutions and attention to our unique region.

Building on years of experience in business, teaching, agriculture and public service, Diane knows western Colorado issues and especially its people. She has proven she knows how to bring diverse interests together on practical policies.

Especially in a time of national confusion and division, we need a leader who focuses on solutions. Diane Mitsch Bush is that leader.

Steve Smith
Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs ‘Tree City USA’

I was looking to see when the rodeo grounds leaf dump was opening this year and was informed that it wasn’t going to open. I was told that South Canyon would accept leaves at a cost. Wow! that’s great. Closed the leaf dump early last year, canceled spring clean up and no leaf dump this year! Great job Ms. City Manager!

Ross Roginski
Glenwood Springs

Boebert Vs. Mitsch Bush

Lauren Boebert’s claims of super-patriotism are just camouflage for clawing back seniors’ hard-earned benefits and leaving them bare bones.

Boebert does not understand the difference between Socialism and social benefits. Her “no compromise” position would lead to the defunding of Social Security, Medicare, the U.S. Postal Service and expanding affordable health care.

Four years ago, Trump promised to drastically lower drug costs, provide “great” health care, and replace the “terrible” Obamacare. Republicans have not delivered on either. Republicans just don’t do health care.

Boebert’s opponent, Diane Mitsch Bush, understands the dangers of Socialism, while strongly supporting crucial services for seniors and expanding affordable health care. She is not a “wild-eyed liberal,” but an experienced local lawmaker, elected to both county and state positions.
Who would you rather have in the House? Diane Mitsch Bush will be fighting on your side, while Boebert will try to save wealthy taxpayers, and non-taxpayers like Trump, money by cutting benefits and funding.

Vote for Diane Mitsch Bush to defend the social benefits that you rightly receive after a lifetime of work, not to defund them.

B.E. Grauer
Basalt

Soto is not afraid to speak truth to power

A very good friend of mine is running for Garfield County Commissioner in Colorado, my county. I am so stoked on her abilities and how she’s getting at it to win this race.

As a former County Commissioner, I know what it takes to get the job done for the people, and Beatriz Soto is almost overqualified from day one.
She’s got a tough race against a 24-year incumbent who I know and have worked with, but we don’t need a career politician who’s for oil and gas companies and believes fracking is saving jobs and the economy.

Beatriz understands how to fight for those under-served to represent people of color because she’s first generation. I don’t know out of the 64 counties in Colorado if there is anyone who can represent this diversity like she can.

She’s an environmentalist and architect. She’ll understand land-use planning with a vision.

She has already been working tireless for people in need as a volunteer with Voces Unidas de las Montañas.

She’s a working mom who puts her family first and knows how hard that is for most of Garfield County’s working families.

I hope Garfield County voters support her campaign. She’s raised the money needed to win. Has a fantastic volunteer team and can win.

Her winning means Colorado elects someone who’s not afraid to speak truth to power.

Vote, Donate, Give.

Arn Menconi
Former County Commissioner and Garfield County resident

Debate was a fiasco

What the world watched [Tuesday] night was not a debate. It was an embarrassing example of how far America has declined. I taught debate to Middle School students, and they would be appalled to think that was a debate. The President would have lost hands down — for not following the rules, for impertinent and rude behavior, for interrupting, and a host of other issues.

I could empathize with Vice President Biden — mainly following the rules, but also trying to flow with the chaos Trump created. Is there no such thing as a microphone mute button? Could the moderator not reward the person trying to follow the rules with extra time or punish the person creating chaos? It was an embarrassment to think anyone could walk away more informed after watching that fiasco!

Peter Westcott
Carbondale


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.