Once again our leaders are forcing a false trade-off between public safety and business investment.
First, they stood idly by as spilled plastic pellets washed on our beaches.
Sen. Sandy Senn introduced a bill that would require basic safeguards, such as containment and reporting of spills. It has yet to garner support to move forward.
Instead, legislators are promoting a bill that would exempt chemical plastic recyclers from having to pay for cleanups when an accident occurs.
Rather than adopt a sensible “polluter pays” approach, they want citizens to live with the contamination and taxpayers to foot the bill for cleanup.
Our natural environment contributes more than $20 billion a year to the state economy. Clean air and water directly impact our quality of life. We should welcome industries that enhance these assets, not incentivize trashing them.
ALYS CAMPAIGNE
Wayne Street
Mount Pleasant
Cold weather turbines
I have no knowledge of the kind of wind turbines in use in Texas. I have, however, traveled quite a bit and seen turbines in areas that have much colder weather than Texas.
Were some of the Texas turbines bought with no consideration of freezing weather conditions?
Most of Germany has wind turbines, as does much of the Midwest, and these don’t seem to have issues with cold weather.
People who are trying to blame the current problems on green power need to be educated.
It’s not green power, it’s the people buying the windmills without researching their susceptibility to cold weather.
Take a lesson from Cervantes. Don’t tilt at windmills.
M. LYNN MOUT
Gray Lane
North Charleston
Scott wrong on education
Sen. Tim Scott’s Friday commentary shows he is still wrong on education.
Public funds should be used for public schools. Religious and other private schools should be funded with private funds.
And, Mr. Scott should know that it is important to listen to what teachers think.
JOE MCFALLS
Lazy River Drive
Charleston
Impeachment absurd
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s rationale for his acquittal vote of former President Donald Trump is not nearly as absurd as the House’s rationale for his impeachment.
ROBERT G. CURRIN JR.
Palmetto Pointe Lane
Edisto Island
Cruz did right thing
Although I do not agree with Sen. Ted Cruz’s politics, I must defend his family vacation to Mexico during a deadly winter storm in his home state of Texas.
Having been a commanding officer with my hometown fire department for 28 years, I came to the conclusion that a high-ranking politician cannot be of any help during a natural disaster.
Having politicians with their security details staying in the center of such a disaster binds emergency personnel who are urgently needed to help those in desperate need.
If their decisions or approval are needed for certain actions, a phone call or online meeting would work instead.
I recommended that every family who was able to travel safely should leave the area and wait until infrastructure has been restored and let professionals do their work.
Sen. Cruz’s actions are judged politically, but technically, he did the right thing.
MARKUS DAMWERTH
South Boulevard
North Charleston
All heartbeats matter
The state Legislature passed a bill banning most abortions and Gov. Henry McMaster signed it into law Thursday.
This law says that after the first eight weeks of conception, it is illegal to terminate a pregnancy with the exception of incest, rape or jeopardy to the mother’s health.
I am against abortion and believe that all life is sacred and should be protected and nourished.
There is, however, the question of the quality of life.
For a number of years, I testified in court in cases dealing with charges of child abuse and neglect.
In addition, I worked with foster care families where children were placed for their own protection.
Why don’t we begin with children who are already born?
Like it does in so many other statistics, South Carolina ranks near the top in the percentage of children in foster care. The reasons are legion, but as so often is the case, most of those children come from low-income families.
Why punish women who agonize with an unwanted pregnancy?
Why does our state Legislature not address the real reason of child abuse and neglect, which in many cases is related to poverty?
I am sure my few words of caution will do little, if anything, to change minds. But maybe a few will agree and look at the bigger picture.
In addition to the fetal heartbeat, let’s agree that all heartbeats matter, most of all, those who are already here and are not wanted.
Rev. HARTMUT FEGE
Bent Tree Lane
Pawlyes Island
Navigating connector
The Friday editorial supporting restriping the Isle of Palms connector must have been written by people who do not use the connector on a regular basis, especially in the summer months.
First, there already is access for walkers and bikers, and if one lane for those works on the Ravenel, then why not here?
The editorial says it’s time for people to have an alternative way to get to the beach. Please send me the pictures of all the large families walking across the connector while hauling coolers, chairs, tents, skim boards, fishing rods, etc., on a 95-degree day, all while avoiding speeding cars and trucks. At the top of the connector, traffic often backs up and accidents occur on a regular basis.
To say this is not connected to the parking dispute is disingenuous at best.
The state Department of Transportation is making it clear that the island needs to do business its way or face the wrath of bureaucracy.
I live on IOP as well as walk and ride a bike. I can figure out how to do it just fine without making the connector a dedicated biking trail.
RICK FURLANO
Waterway Boulevard
Isle of Palms
Humans are virus
The recent articles and opinion pieces about the removal of the 300-year-old “Meeting Tree,” clear-cutting of trees in the I-26 median and various road-widening and development projects in the Charleston area reinforces something I have long suspected: The human race has become a virus spreading upon the face of the Earth, and outbreaks of disease such as COVID-19 are examples of nature’s immune system trying to protect itself against us.
LOUISE BRITTON
William Battle Court
Edisto Island
