Letters to the editor

How scandal stiffened ARB spine

Re "Nichols on warming fight: Full speed ahead," Daniel Weintraub column, Nov. 4: As Air Resources Board Chairman Mary Nichols herself said, there's nothing magic about being more aggressive on greenhouse gas controls. She simply asked the world's best technical staff for more and they delivered.

What's magic is how a full-blown political scandal gave the Air Resources Board back its independence. The governor's office finally understands that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's environmental reputation depends on allowing his appointees to obey the law, apply good science and do the right thing. Hallelujah!

Let's hope that insight continues through the rest of his term. For added insurance, CARB's governing members should have fixed terms so they cannot be removed at the governor's (dis)pleasure. The most difficult policy decisions are yet to come.

- Catherine Witherspoon, Sacramento

Former Executive Officer,

California Air Resources Board

Succumbing to the oil fix

Re "Pain goes beyond pump," Nov. 2: This Page 1 story typifies the astounding ignorance of the media on a crucial topic. The story makes no mention of the national crisis that is unfolding before us. This crisis is peak oil. The days of cheap, plentiful oil are gone forever. The days of increasing demand and diminishing supplies are upon us.

Our society is based on oil. The United States is by far the biggest energy hog on earth. We have 5 percent of the world's population, yet we consume 25 percent of all the oil that is produced.

We remain fervently dedicated to the proposition that ignorance is bliss. America is content to behave under the delusion that cheap oil is an entitlement. We are nonpareil happy motorists driving as fast as we can into an immovable wall of increasingly limited supplies.

The cost of our oil addiction is enormous environmentally, financially, socially and politically. In a land festooned with slogans, every motorist bears a bumper sticker proclaiming, "Proud to be an Oil Pig." In the words of the famous philosopher Pogo, "I have met the enemy and he is us."

- John Rogers, Sacramento

Unholy alliance behind gas prices

The American people and economy are being held captive by environmentalists, market speculators and OPEC nations. Environmentalists have not allowed any petroleum refineries to be built since 1976, even though demand has increased exponentially.

They also have blocked exploration and extraction of known oil reserves, even though 21st century technology would allow for clean production and distribution. Naive and overzealous environmentalists have become Big Oil's and OPEC nations' very, very best friends. Thanks to the unrealistic and unscientific fears of environmentalists, supply can never again match or exceed demand.

Market speculators and OPEC are driven by greed and avarice. They only think short term about profits and do not care about the disastrous effects that $100-a-barrel oil will cause average Americans and our economy.

The trickle-down effects of these usurious oil prices will be felt by all citizens, but especially the poor and those on fixed incomes. Every single thing we need to exist will cost more, much more. The standard of living for most Americans is on the verge of heading straight downward. Thanks to stupidity, greed and apathy, we are all about to suffer unnecessarily!

- Fred Cianci, Sacramento

Rail technology not for everyone

Re "Railyard another Alhambra?" letter, Nov. 4: As a history buff , I'm appalled by the disingenuousness many local preservationists are displaying when they use the "Remember the Alhambra" rhetoric to push their agenda at the railyards.

Neither Thomas Enterprises nor the city is proposing to tear down the historic shop buildings. In fact, they are planning to preserve, restore and convert these old buildings into a lively public market and community center. Yet that doesn't seem to be good enough for some folks.

As wonderful as the California State Railroad Museum is, there is definitely a limit to how interested people will be about train technology. Many rightfully question its broader appeal. Unfortunately, some make the mistake of thinking that everyone should share their same passions. They don't, and it's unfair to confiscate all historical public possessions for only a narrow interest group to enjoy.