Letters for July 25, 2019

Re: “‘I was sickened by what I saw’” by Doris Matsui (Essay, July 18):

Rep. Doris Matsui was straight-up born in a Japanese internment camp. Her late husband, former congressman Bob Matsui, had also been interned at six months old. She has a particular experience and sensitivity to these conditions, and if she finds it putrid, it’s because it probably is.

Sean Crosby

Sacramento / via Facebook

New agreements for Delta

Re: “The changing Delta’s challenges” by Jay Lund (Essay, July 18):

Jay Lund reasons that to successfully navigate the future of the Delta, “A larger framework is needed for advocates and opponents to work together” on a portfolio approach to managing water. The California Farm Water Coalition agrees wholeheartedly. That’s why we—along with farmers, conservationists, urban water users, community groups and government agencies—are so excited about the Voluntary Agreements supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

These cooperative agreements between competing water interests will govern water use, utilizing new science-based management. They also include long-term funding from farmers and other water users for environmental projects. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 1, as written, would throw the Voluntary Agreements out the window and return us to the old regulatory system that hasn’t worked. We hope California, and its legislators, will choose the collaborative future laid out by Lund. After all, “not changing is not an option.”

Mike Wade

Sacramento / via email

Cleaner cars

Re: “All in on EVs” by Foon Rhee (Editor’s note, July 18):

There is no reason to speculate that electric cars are any cleaner to manufacture than fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Such conventional cars produce two thirds of their total environmental damage during production.

Josef Mayr

Grass Valley / via Facebook

History lesson

Re: “Name calling” by Foon Rhee (Editor’s note, July 11):

Paul Petrovich convened a community meeting to advocate for naming a park in Crocker Village for his father. At that April 4 meeting, he said his father, an American master sergeant, “led his regiment into Poland to liberate Dachau.”

I responded, “Paul, no American troops entered Poland, Also, Dachau is in Germany.” Also, a master sergeant leads a squad of about 10 troops, whereas a regiment has more than 1,000 troops.

Paul Propper

Sacramento / via email