California forum letters: Bee readers take on climate change, Rocklin Unified, Lake Tahoe
Childish argument
“California conservative: Gavin Newsom can’t relate to broad swaths of the state he governs,” (sacbee.com, Oct. 6)
Throwing shade because of Newsom’s success is childish. Aren’t most leaders successful business people? I want a leader who embraces progressive policies and intelligently manages the unending crises befalling our state. Embracing science saved thousands of lives, despite Republican sabotage. Newsom understands the existential threat of climate change, a woman’s right to choose, protecting our forests, investing in children and reparations for racial injustice. Navarrette’s sneering piece is full of conjecture and little else.
Theresa Lown
Sacramento
Rooftop solar
“California regulators warn of dry reservoirs, restrictions,” (sacbee.com, Oct. 1)
California’s dry heat boasts of global climate change, and I continuously grow more worried about receiving clean, drinking water from natural resources. Newsom’s efforts toward a green, sustainable future contribute to a larger vision of keeping Californians alive and well. Most Californians with rooftop solar, for example, hope that Newsom keeps his word on transitioning to 100% clean electricity. However, I fear that the current proposal on eliminating incentives on rooftop solar will hinder our progress from meeting clean energy goals. I urge Newsom to think about the many outlets in which rooftop solar helps individuals both monetarily and environmentally.
Caroline Batch
Copperopolis
Federal climate action
“Her wells ran out of water. How drought has changed this Central Valley ranch,” (sacbee.com, Oct. 1)
Climate change may be abstract, but the tangible consequences (drought, flooding, hurricanes, etc.) are here. Federal climate change legislation is currently under consideration as part of the infrastructure reconciliation package. We need 100% clean energy standards and carbon pricing (with border adjustments and dividends to individual households) to safeguard our future. There is no viable alternative.
Elizabeth Barrett
Sacramento
Emboldened mobs
“Is the Rocklin Unified school board more interested in education or politics?” (sacbee.com, Sept. 30)
Those who followed the 2020 campaign for the RUSD school board positions aren’t surprised that radical, extremist forces have taken up residence in the board chambers. While two of the newer board members’ campaign websites are gone, it’s still possible to find the same incendiary fact-free rhetoric supporting their campaigns. The list of those who endorsed these candidates is a who’s who of the Placer County Hall of Shame — Kirk Uhler, Bonnie Gore, Greg Fairrington and Kevin Kiley, to name a few. School board meetings in Roseville and Granite Bay have experienced similar disruptions while anti-vaxxers and political extremists who regularly attend the county Board of Supervisors meetings have been successful limiting public comment through bullying and intimidation tactics. Any official who overtly or covertly embolden these mobs needs to instead demand and enforce respectful discourse and behavior, or it will only get worse.
Barbara Smith
Auburn
More EV stations
“Sacramento’s top polluter is traffic. So why does the county’s climate plan create more?” (sacbee.com, Oct. 5)
Transportation accounts for the majority of carbon emissions in California. Thankfully, Gov. Newsom banned the sale of gas powered vehicles after 2035, but we’ll need hundreds of thousands more charging stations to support rising demand. Areas of California, besides the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, will be in desperate need of charging stations as electric vehicles ownership increases. To ensure that all people have equal access to charging stations, California should follow in Sacramento’s footsteps and set a goal of building 1 million charging stations across the state by 2030.
Emily Zhou
Davis
Don’t poison Tahoe
“Can Tahoe be saved? Wildfire, climate change endanger the future of a California jewel,” (sacbee.com, Sept. 21)
Lake Tahoe is known for its clarity, and we have a responsibility to protect it from threats. In the 1960s, the Tahoe Keys housing development dredged a marsh, making channels leading to the lake that created an explosion of aquatic weeds. Everyone agrees invasive weeds need to be removed from the lake, but not whether herbicides should be part of the solution. Testing herbicides, along with other non-chemical techniques, like laminar flow aeration and ultraviolet light, is currently being considered by the Lahontan Regional Water Board and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The EPA classifies Lake Tahoe as a Tier III Outstanding National Resource Water, meaning it cannot be degraded by herbicides. We urge the agencies to fully test non-chemical methods before poisoning Lake Tahoe with herbicides.
Sean Wirth
Mother Lode Chapter of the Sierra Club, conservation chair
Sacramento
Support Biden’s agenda
“On California Clean Air Day, here’s how you can help each other breathe easier,” (sacbee.com, Oct. 6)
Sacramento County is consistently rated as one of the most polluted areas in the country. Wildfire smoke further degrades our air quality to hazardous levels. It’s critical that Congress pass President Biden’s Build Back Better Act (BBBA). This legislation includes historic investments in clean energy production, pollution-free transportation and a plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants by 80% by 2030. These provisions will enormously benefit our county and state by tackling climate-fueled wildfires while dramatically reducing air pollution.
Don Forrester, MD
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Sacramento