Bush Says Relax Pollution Standards

I see that President George W. Bush recommends relaxing California’s air pollution standards as one solution to the electricity shortage (Jan. 19). As someone who remembers the smoggy ‘60s and ‘70s in Southern California, when taking a deep breath hurt and my eyes watered on an almost daily basis, I think this is a shortsighted solution.

As I drove to the Los Angeles airport Thursday at 5 a.m., listening to news of the first rolling blackouts on Wednesday, I passed auto dealerships and shopping centers along the 101 Freeway in Ventura County, all vacant at that hour and all with every light blazing in their parking lots and buildings. I realize that this was an “off-peak” period, but it seems to me that pressure on scarce natural gas supplies, and on the generating system as a whole, could be eased by reducing the profligate waste of electricity, such as this. Let’s at least push aggressive and reasonable conservation measures before throwing in the towel on the air quality gains of the last 30 years.

BROCK B. BERNSTEIN

Ojai

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Re “Power: Who Is the Real Freeloader?” Commentary, Jan. 17: Ronald Olson talks about freeloaders, but he doesn’t talk about accountability. It was the board of directors and top executives at the big three utility companies who lobbied and pushed the state for deregulation. Since they are the ones who got us into this mess, they should be held accountable. This can be accomplished by having them publicly apologize for this and then resign.

STEWART CHESLER

North Hollywood

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Finally, the Jan. 17 commentaries stopped beating around the bush and told it like it is. The governor, Legislature and Public Utilities Commission are political animals whose behavior is driven solely by their next election or appointment. They will never do the right thing because they haven’t the courage and will now lose control and be forced to do what they should have done themselves. The voters they grovel before are the freeloaders, taking electricity from utilities free of charge and scoffing at the notion of paying back this generous loan, egged on by simplistic socialist Luddites. Now our homes will get cold and dark.

DAVID KAY

Culver City