Letters to the Editor: Pro-California gas pipeline voices seemingly forget pipeline failures of the past
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- Pipeline advocates seemingly have forgotten historical disasters like the 1969 Santa Barbara spill and 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy, critics argue in letters to the editor.
- A 4,000-gallon oil and contaminated wastewater spill in Monterey County occurred days after pro-pipeline letters were published, highlighting safety concerns.
- Opponents argue individuals can reduce energy demand through transit, electric vehicles and solar power instead of supporting new pipeline infrastructure.
To the editor: Americans have the memory of a goldfish. Just two pages past the letter writers advocating for California’s first gas pipeline is a story about a spill of more than 4,000 gallons of oil and contaminated wastewater in southern Monterey County (“Letters to the Editor: Despite the environmental concerns, a gas pipeline would benefit Californians,” Dec. 3; “4,000 gallons of oil, contaminated wastewater spill in Monterey County,” Dec. 5). Yep, it was due to a pipeline failure.
Too bad these readers apparently don’t remember the 2015 Santa Barbara oil spill, nor the 2010 Deepwater Horizon one, let alone the 1969 Santa Barbara one. We’re like chickens in the henhouse after a fox leaves with a dead friend in its mouth. Once all the excitement dies down, we forget about the whole incident. That’s how we got into this political mess in the first place.
Bella Silverstein, Santa Clarita
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To the editor: The pro-pipeline voices describe the slow progress in developing the infrastructure for an all-electric society as a justification. Also trotted out is the tried-and-true consider-the-disadvantage argument.
Sorely missing here is “What can I, as an individual, do to help?” You can reduce your personal demands on the infrastructure, both electric and fossil energy sources. Walk, ride a bike, take public transit.
I’m really tired of hearing, “It’s too slow and inconvenient.” To think that the climate crisis is going to be less inconvenient is head-in-the-sand denial. Most of us can buy an electric car and implement solar energy storage, which is going to be a lot cheaper in the long run. It’s a matter of shifting one’s priorities.
The energy industries (utilities and oil) are doing everything they can to protect their egregious profits at the expense of all of us, especially the disadvantaged. These pro-pipeline letters in the Dec. 7 Los Angeles Times help them.
Gregg Ferry, Carlsbad
