Don’t overlook the nuclear option in the climate change fight (Letters)
Don t overlook the nuclear option Re New laws on turf wild horses clean ability June news story Among a large number of issues in this article of note is House Bill which adds nuclear force to be counted toward utilities clean-energy goals and eligible for financing set aside for clean capacity Although largest part environmentalists are opposed to nuclear power it is capable of providing large quantities of reliable electrical vitality while generating little greenhouse gas emissions Wind and solar resource are great but are subject to variations throughout the day and year How will solar and wind generate enough electricity to get us through a polar vortex that engulfs the Front Range and Midwest into deep prolonged cold especially after gas-fired furnaces are replaced with electrically driven heat pumps Situation change is a huge predicament and we need to explore every alternative we can to mitigate it This includes nuclear power for reliable force and the mining of lithium needed to make batteries to store electricity produced by wind and solar Rich Griffin Aurora Fascism in America Fascism a populist political philosophy movement or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual that is associated with a centralized autocratic leadership headed by a dictatorial leader and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition Merriam-Webster I avoid name-calling especially when politics are involved believing that the commonly used English language words should be sufficient to provide description and to be less provocative So I use the word fascism not to provoke nor as a school-yard taunt I am however at a loss to explain the difference between the definition of fascism and the actions of the current administration which took an oath to uphold the dictates of the Constitution of the United States of America Dona Chilcoat Lakewood Another owl under threat right here in Colorado In the s rampant cutting of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest led to the listing of the Northern Spotted Owl as threatened under the Endangered Species Act Here in Colorado it is little known that the Mexican Spotted Owl the southern cousin of the Northern Spotted Owl and also listed as federally threatened makes its home in Colorado Related Articles Here s what Colorado lawmakers did and didn t do on environment and environmental issues this year Republican budget bill would strike blow to clean vitality efforts in Colorado The northernmost populations of Mexican Spotted Owl are only a sparse hours drive from Denver in the Pike San Isabel National Forest The species habitat requirements include to of the forest to be large mature trees of diameter or greater plenty of large dead trees and high volumes of fallen trees and woody debris which is habitat for it s prey namely small and medium-sized rodents like mice voles and even rabbits There is about acres of designated critical habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl in the South Platte Ranger District of the Pike National Forest This is the same area where the Lower North South logging project is proposed to cut and clear out several acres including over acres of mature and old-growth forest the habitat of the Mexican Spotted Owl The Forest Institution readily admits the project will likely adversely affect the owl but has failed to include the safeguards identified in the species recovery plan into the project While no one seems to be watching this secretive threatened species has its habitat on the chopping block Are Coloradans OK with this Andrew Rothman Denver Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns editorials and more To send a letter to the editor about this article submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail
