Battery storage

Our community around the Moss Landing, destroyed battery storage facility is still in the early stages of its green energy transition. It is clear that the rush to total electrification is causing not only local commercial battery storage environmental hazards but also statewide skyrocketing electricity rates The latest California Green Energy Mandates are primarily causing an increase in our electric rates by nearly 50%, from 2019 to 2023. Now, include the replacement costs for new furnaces, hot water heaters, dryers, and stoves.

The politicians that we elected need to recognize that our safety and the high cost is more than a financial burden. We need a balance with safer, affordable and reliable natural gas in our homes, businesses and power plants. They should never have ventured into this Green New Deal without verifying that the batteries are safe from toxic fires. Please pursue a balance, which includes natural gas power plants instead of dangerous battery storage facilities.

— Vince Tuminello, Pacific Grove

‘We own it’

The word “nakba” is almost always devoid of its historical context. It is used as a slander against Israel when historical events reveal a different picture. When the UN voted to partition Palestine in 1947 — passing 33 for with 13 against — the Jews accepted it but the Arab states and the Palestinians under Mufti of Jerusalem Hajj Amin Al-Husseini rejected it outright, vowing they would remove Jews by war. (Jews had legally occupied parts of Palestine even after their diaspora in 70 AD and legally purchased property in the early 20th century when under Ottoman and British control.) The day after Britain’s withdrawal in May 1948, seven Arab states attacked the fledgling Israeli state. During the fighting — clearly ethnic cleansing, no? — Palestinians were driven from their homes by invading Arab armies, attacking Israeli troops fearing another holocaust and fighting for what the UN gave them, with many Palestinians fleeing for their lives as they were caught in the war’s crossfire. Against all odds, the Jews survived. However, the entire “catastrophe” was caused by invading Arab states and Palestinians who all rejected then what everyone is clamoring for now: A Palestinian state. Only after trying to exterminate the Jews in ‘48, ‘67, and ‘73 do they play the nakba card as a genocidal accusation against Israel. Yes, it was a catastrophe but not one caused by the Jews; it was caused by Arabs choosing to reject the UN’s offered plan, followed by war in an attempt to exterminate Jews and Israel.

— E.W. “Chip” MacEnulty II, Pacific Grove

Disaster preparedness

The road to hell is paved with good intentions and awful unintended consequences. Carmel officials displayed their best of intentions by calling two recent public meetings to enlist community support in avoiding a Pacific Palisades level of conflagration.

The feared unintended consequences arise from their lack of urgency and tone of self-satisfaction with their existing prevention and preparation efforts.

Carmel is a tinderbox of flammable fuel crisscrossed by fragile power lines. Its beautiful forests are carpeted wall-to-wall with dead tree trunks. Official and community complacency would evaporate instantaneously if the next council and community meetings were preceded by group walks through Mission Trail Nature Preserve — just 0.6 of a mile from City Hall.

We need less talk and much more action to immediately clear the very high fire-risk areas of dead wood. Now! No excuses! Whatever the cost! Not only to provide insurance against a massive human disaster, but also to protect property values against the risk that Carmel will no longer be insurable.

— Allen Frances, Carmel

Public pensions

I am writing to express my concerns regarding our state’s public pension fund. I’m urging them to vote for climate action at this spring’s shareholder meetings for the major corporations the pensions are invested in.

As Appalachia recovers from devastating floods in the wake of Hurricane Helene and L.A. faces down wildfires, it’s clear that it’s all hands-on-deck for stopping the climate crisis.

Our economy — and my retirement savings — depend on a thriving planet. Which is why my pension fund needs to play a leadership role in stopping climate change. Public pensions are some of the country’s biggest shareholders and should champion sound business practices that respect people and the planet.

Holding corporations accountable for their climate-wrecking behavior is a critical way to reduce risk to workers’ retirement savings and protect our future.

I want our pension fund to care about our future as much as I do.

— Zoe Edington, Monterey