Regulations Have Improved Air Quality

* “State Barreling Ahead Toward a Fuel Shortage,” news analysis (Oct. 15) will undoubtedly cause some to complain about government interference, since (according to the article) stricter environmental regulations will limit refinery output and therefore increase gasoline prices. I’d like to remind people--particularly those who haven’t been here at least 30 years--of the greatly improved air quality that is the direct result of EPA, AQMD and ARB regulations. Although sometimes onerous and expensive, without these agencies’ restrictions on stationary pollution sources, vehicles, barbecues and even lawn mowers, we’d still have the eye-searing, throat-choking smog that I grew up with. Let’s not go back to the days of frequent Stage 1 alerts.

Instead of worrying about a gasoline shortage and higher prices, let’s try the obvious solution: Use less gasoline! Buy a sensible car for small-family city use instead of a 12-mpg Navigator or Excursion.

CARL SIECHERT

Pasadena

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The specter of $3-per-gallon gasoline, if it’s available, will not be a pretty sight given the enormous self-interest displayed by us humans. I’m amazed so many feel cheap gasoline to be a birthright and gasoline’s source to be infinite.

A genuine shortage, not a contrived one, could be an opportunity, one where people finally agree to do their fair share to reduce dependency and, in doing so, raise the bar of human behavior, particularly regarding our relations with one another.

Joel Kotkin (Opinion, Oct. 15) argues that we’ve been let down by civic leadership, and, of course, he’s right. Anticipating a fuel shortage and taking positive steps to address it could well be an issue for civic leaders to rise to, and I don’t mean reinstituting odd/even.

LEE BARTKOWSKI

Long Beach