Letters for February 26, 2015

Backing down on fracking

Re “Gutless” (Second & Flume, by Melissa Daugherty, Feb. 19):

Gutless is the correct response to the Butte County Board of Supervisors’ failure to act on fracking. Unfortunately, even if they did, it could be overturned. The front range of Colorado is experiencing a fracking boom and the cities of Fort Collins, Longmont and Lafayette have all passed measures to prevent fracking within city limits. All have been sued and have had the measures overturned, so fracking may commence.

While the fight against fracking seems grim, there is a ray of hope. The state of California has proposed closing by October 2015 up to 140 oil-field wells that state regulators had allowed to inject fracking waste into federally protected drinking water aquifers. Remember, this is a practice that, thanks to team Bush/Cheney, the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 also known as the “Halliburton Loophole,” is exempt from the U.S. Clean Air and Water Act.

I’m not going to argue the facts about the environmental impacts of fracking; people can either educate themselves or remain ignorant. However, a Cree prophecy comes to mind: “When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.”

Jack Reed
Paradise

I disagree with CN&R Editor Melissa Daugherty regarding the Butte County Board of Supervisors’ wise action to dismiss a ban on hydraulic fracturing.

The supervisors weighed all the scientific and legal evidence before them and came to a logical conclusion that this unnecessary ban would only expose taxpayers to costly litigation. California already has the nation’s strongest protections for this process. State law requires notification of surrounding landowners, public disclosure of chemicals used, groundwater monitoring and well-integrity testing. These regulations were passed by a Democrat-controlled Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Even President Obama has been supportive of fracking since it has improved our nation’s energy independence. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said that fracking bans are “the wrong way to go” and that groups pushing for them “don’t understand the science.” Ironically, fracking bans will only increase our reliance on imported oil that is produced with fewer environmental protections. But that kind of logic is lost on those who are determined to stop all oil production in California.

Zachary Brown
Chico

Pro-fracking advocates are essentially arguing for a free lunch. Frack, baby, frack because it’ll bring down energy costs, and if unacceptable pollution results it’s likely someone else’s problem. If fracking goes forward, we all get the benefits of greater oil and gas production. If unacceptable water and land pollution result, likely someone else will bear the cost and accountability.

We lived through this just a few years ago with the oh-so-safe deep-water drilling in the Gulf. Those who urged caution were dismissed as obstructionist environmental whackos. Deep-water drilling promised cheaper oil, which was enough to decide the issue. Did these pro deep-water-drilling advocates step forward to admit their safety assurances were imaginary when the Gulf turned to an oil soup? Of course not. These advocates self-righteously blamed others.

The people we should listen to on fracking are not those seeking a free lunch but those who are accountable both when fracking succeeds and when it despoils our land and water.

Dave Weiner
Chico

Two on the commentary

Re “Reducing the war to a DVD” (Guest comment, by Patrick Newman, Feb. 19):

The author implies that all art must take a moral position regarding large issues. That may be his wish, but I don’t agree that that is a requirement. I saw the film and the only moral I observed was loyalty and support to one’s comrades. Does the author feel that Das Boot was a propaganda film for the Nazis?

Bill Knudsen
Chico

Regarding Patrick Newman’s critique of American Sniper and Chris Kyle, it’s obvious he has never served his country. It’s also obvious from his past writings that he’s one unhappy dude whose bottle of “know it all about life” whiskey keeps him up at night.

Rick Clements
Paradise

Nanny laws all around

Re “Mandatory melon protection?” (The Pulse, Feb. 19):

State Sen. Carol Liu said of Senate Bill 192: “Any responsible bicycle rider should wear a helmet,” and that “This law will help protect more people and make sure all riders benefit from the head protection that a helmet provides.”

It is good that California intends to protect the heads of its bicycle riders, but that is not enough. Research has shown that other body parts may be injured in a bicycle accident. Knees, elbows, shoulders and hips are also at risk, so why not require the same protection for cyclists that is required for football, lacrosse and hockey athletes.

Reflective clothing may not be enough to guarantee that all cyclists are visible at night, so I recommend suits with flashing lights like Robert Redford wore in the The Electric Horseman. The cost will prohibit almost everybody from cycling, thereby precluding almost all bike accidents and all injuries.

Nanny state “protection” should not be limited to only cyclists. California must enact legislation that protects everybody from any injury when they are doing everything. It may be expensive, but better safe than sorry.

Joseph Robinson
Chico

Demanding accountability

The Bidwell Park and Playground Commission’s denial of a request by the docents of the Chico Community Observatory to rename the facility the Anita Ingrao Memorial Observatory is a prime example of our city government run amok.

Four of the five commissioners held their opinions above those of a crowd of citizens that only want to memorialize a woman who turned so many on to science with her volunteer service under the stars. The really sad part of this is that it revealed how most of the commissioners have never visited the observatory. How can you govern something you have never seen or experienced?

We need to demand more accountability of our political appointees. Don’t sit on a commission if you have no clue as to what you’re managing and don’t be a roadblock to the wishes of the citizens just because you can be. The whole experience just reinforced the knowledge that individuals like Anita are very rare in our society and that we should celebrate them every chance we can.

Kris Koenig
Chico

Editor’s note: Mr. Koenig is director of the Chico Community Observatory.

Support the library

The city of Chico should support the Chico branch of the Butte County the library by designating the additional $25,000 needed to keep it open.

I have volunteered a half-day once a week at the library for the past 18 years—mostly because I believe that reading can change lives. I have come to the realization that the library is more than a place for readers. It is a place people come to learn English; for children to be tutored; and for adults who never learned to read to meet a tutor to give them that gift for the first time.

It is also a place for the homeless or jobless to safely “hang out” during the day without question or restriction. It is a place for the elderly to have contact with other people and a place for exhausted parents and grandparents with young children to meet and talk. It is a place that people are waiting to enter when the doors open in the morning and a place people reluctantly leave when it closes. It is probably the most hospitable public building in the city of Chico and serves the greatest majority of its citizens.

Please keep the library open as many hours as you can.

Sandy Moore
Chico

Support for principal, CPD

Re “Hijinks or hate?” (Newslines, by Ken Smith, Feb. 12):

I’m concerned that this article can be seen as possibly shedding a negative light on both Chico High School and Chico Police Department. While I sympathize with Ms. Butler-McGriff’s plight, by closely reading the article and following the development of the situation, it appears that there is some confrontational energy coming from her side of the porch as well.

I want to state that there is no one working over at Chico High who is more fair-minded and dedicated to doing the right thing than Principal Jim Hanlon. I know this from direct experience as I had the pleasure of previously working at Chico High with Jim as well as the rest of the faculty and staff for much of the past two years.

Jim oversees a harmonious campus population of over 1,800 students from every possible ethnic background and family condition. He is very skilled and successful at what he does. In closing, I also enjoyed meeting Sgt. Cesar Sandoval while I was enrolled in last year’s 29th annual Chico Police Academy and personally know him to be an open-minded, sensitive and concerned member of the CPD.

Dave Kilbourne
Chico

Ignoble acts may be considered news by many. I get it; race relations in this area continue to be less than what mature people would expect. What seems rare news are people striving for honor, though this is what most adults do. Chico News & Review has been an oasis of hope in a desert of despair. The pages in this great paper are few. As much as possible, please fill them with reports on acts of integrity.

R. Sterling Ogden
Chico

These three things

Alarming trio: Global warming, swarming and arming.

Stephen T. Davis
Chico

Kudos to grocer

Raley’s impressed me by making the decision to quit selling tobacco products for the health of the community by the end of February. Butte County has an alarming adult smoking rate of 19.2 percent, which is remarkably higher than California’s at 12.9 percent. With roughly 1 in 5 adults smoking cigarettes, it’s no wonder many Butte County residents suffer from cancer and heart disease, which are both linked to smoking. If you need me, I’ll be shopping more often at Raley’s because they care about good health.

Roxanne I Smiley
Chico