Letters to the Editor | Nov. 8, 2023

The offshore wind project failed because it was economically unsustainable without massive government assistance, which would still never be enough. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy even outrageously gifted Orsted with a $1 billion tax break. The so-called environmental lobby could care less what this project would do to marine life, the Shore, the fisheries’ economy, and the visual pollution, so long as its unachievable utopian goals were met. These are the same people who want to cover thousands of acres of farmland with ugly solar panels and shut down a buried natural gas pipeline through a tiny portion of the Pinelands because it might temporarily disturb some natural flora and fauna. Their goals are unrealistic and harmful to the people of New Jersey.

Alex Ross, Mount Laurel

The Inquirer’s recent stories about offshore wind company Orsted backing out of two New Jersey projects cast light on the forces at work behind the scenes. The articles show that the fossil fuel industry is funding right-wing nonprofits to promulgate a falsehood: namely, that preliminary work by Orsted is responsible for whale deaths. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection instead attributes these deaths to global warming, which caused the whales to migrate to waters with more traffic.

Sadly, we are all going to bear the cost of this shortsighted collusion between the fossil fuel industry and local politicians who have bought the industry’s deceptions and are perpetuating them. We are all aware that global warming is producing larger and more destructive storms. As they become more common and the sea level rises, the destruction of property along the Jersey Shore will increase. When the next superstorm causes major damage, will the chair of the Cape May County Board of Commissioners stop cheering the defeat of a “big wind company”? Will he reach out to the fossil fuel industry for financial help for homeowners?

John M. Francis, Philadelphia

As a Jew and as a human being, I am outraged at the slaughter of civilians being carried out by the Israeli government and military. Also outrageous is the $106 billion being approved by our elected representatives, both Republicans and Democrats, for military weapon systems for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Those funds could be used to restore Medicaid for millions of people being cut off here at home. They could be used to feed and house poor and homeless people here in the U.S. or in other countries. Why have we become the policemen of the world? Why do we have 800 military bases across the globe? Why does our military budget increase each year while human needs face continual cutbacks?

David Greene, Philadelphia, davidgreene3372@gmail.com

Nothing can justify the indiscriminate killing of innocent people. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken must call for an immediate cease-fire and not acquiesce to Israel. The Palestinians are at the mercy of a powerful military force. The deplorable actions of Israel will only incite retaliation and antisemitism around the globe. The United States will lose more diplomatic trust. In the words of Nelson Mandela: The best weapon is to sit down and talk.

David Peterson, Philadelphia

Calling for Israel to initiate a cease-fire in Gaza is not just immoral, but goes against all common sense. The Hamas terrorists in Gaza now seem to have lost most of their ability to initiate large-scale attacks. The terrorists have been forced to move from offense to defense thanks to Israel’s ground operation. If Israel were to begin a cease-fire now, even a short one, it would be similar to if the Allies had stopped their advance after D-Day. A cease-fire would, in the end, only prolong the war — and no one should want that.

Moshe Phillips, Bala Cynwyd

A Nov. 2 op-ed misrepresents flawed studies and skewed data to advance a series of extreme and dangerous policies that are designed to eliminate natural gas production in Pennsylvania — a step that would plunge the commonwealth’s economy into ruin. Make no mistake, legislation or regulation that restricts energy development will hamper Pennsylvania’s fiscal growth, undermine personal property rights, and reverse the significant environmental and air quality progress enabled by natural gas. What’s more, limiting safe and strongly regulated natural gas production in the commonwealth would deepen our reliance on foreign sources of energy and weaken America’s security.

In touting a set of incomplete and misleading studies, the Environmental Health Project ignores peer-reviewed research that focuses specifically on rigorous water or air testing by scientists at Yale, Duke, Penn State, and elsewhere that conclude there are no systemic, widespread issues tied to natural gas development. Our industry has an unwavering commitment to protecting Pennsylvania’s environment, health, and safety — especially for families who live and work here. We also support objective, scientific research and remain dedicated to both as we responsibly supply the domestic natural gas essential to modern life.

David Callahan, president, Marcellus Shale Coalition

Most of us hate bullies, and that’s why most of us hate monopolies — especially abusive monopolies like Comcast. But Comcast doesn’t seem to care — even though it is losing around 520,000 cable customers per quarter. What most of us dislike about Comcast is the way that it bundles its services. It sells us a bundle that includes dozens of TV channels, most of which are of absolutely no interest to a vast majority of its customers. I asked, several times, for a far smaller bundle, just the 10 channels that interest me. Comcast said yes, sort of. It would allow me to cancel some channels, but it would charge me more for that smaller bundle. Only the most abusive of monopolies would have the audacity to extend such an offer. But there is some good news. At the rate at which Comcast is losing customers, it — like the dinosaur it has become — will be extinct soon enough.

Paul Crotty, Bryn Mawr

A recent piece in The Inquirer effectively highlighted the heart-wrenching conundrum employees face when they need to take care of an aging parent and go to work. Despite more than half of the U.S. labor force carrying caregiving responsibilities, employees at only about 12% of companies currently have access to any type of elder-care support through their employer. And while this is understandably challenging for small- and medium-sized businesses to offer, it means that an overwhelming majority of workers may still have to make the impossible choice of either taking care of an aging parent or maintaining financial stability.

We have a solution that will benefit both employees and employers. Along with our bipartisan partners, State Sen. Devlin Robinson (R., Allegheny) and State Rep. Dan Miller (D., Allegheny), we are leading the effort to pass the Family Care Act to provide every working Pennsylvanian with paid family and medical leave. Thirteen states, including our neighbors of New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland, and Washington, D.C., have passed similar measures.

We are dedicated to making sure that working Pennsylvanians no longer must choose between their job and taking care of their elderly loved ones, themselves, or a newborn baby. You can join us by calling, writing, or emailing your state representative and senator to share your support for this vital legislation. When you do, urge these public servants to vote to make Pennsylvania’s economy stronger and more competitive by sending the Family Care Act to Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Maria Collett, state senator, Fort Washington, and Kathleen “KC” Tomlinson, state representative, Bensalem

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.