Environmentalists Have Played Role In Energy Crisis

In regards to Dallas Dunlap's letter in this past Sunday's edition, I beg to differ in one respect to his letter: Environmentalists have played a major role in a current energy crisis situation.

Starting back in the 1970s when the first energy crisis hit this country, environmentalists and their allies did everything in their power to keep us drilling for new sources of oil in our territory and from developing and using alternative energy sources, such as nuclear energy. They continue to use their clout to keep us from developing new sources of energy, and I am not just talking about oil and nuclear but other sources like wind power.

The problem is that many of these environmentalists have gone unchallenged for far too long, spreading the myth that man and only man is responsible for global warming. Thankfully, more and more scientists are coming forward to disprove this myth, including the founder of the Weather Channel, John Coleman, noted meteorologist.

One of the most ironic is the true damage done to this country due to the bio-fuel manufacturing, and I am not just talking about economic damages but the damage done by the increase in agricultural runoff due to increased crop production for bio-fuels. These runoffs are doing more damage to the Gulf of Mexico than any oil rig could ever do in a hundred years.

Let's not forget there are those in Congress led by John Dingell, D-Mich., whose answer to our current energy problem is to add an additional 50 cents to every gallon of gas.

It use to be in this country that when a problem arose, we would roll up our sleeves and look for answers, but it is quite apparent that those days are long gone and all we do now is sit around and complain and do nothing.

I want to know where the real leaders are in our country who have the courage to do what is right and not what is popular when it comes to energy needs?

Peter Stathis

Spring Hill