Letter to the Editor: Federal taxes

To the Editor:  

New federal tax breaks are persuading many of us (homeowners and municipalities) to switch to solar and other clean technology.  But to transmit all that new clean energy, we also need new power lines.   

Unfortunately, it takes too long (up to a decade) to build new transmission lines.  Without sacrificing appropriate review or community input, these lines need to be built three times faster to meet our communal climate goals.

Most Democrats and Republicans in Congress agree that we should add clean energy faster to the grid.  They disagree about how to accomplish that. What both agree on is that compromise is necessary for anything to pass in this divided government.   

Should we wait for a different Congress? According to the latest IPCC report from climate experts, we don’t have time. Please keep an open mind regarding compromise proposals.  Don’t abandon your ideals. But don’t let the perfect be the enemy of our public good.  The stakes are too high. 

Respectfully,

Ruth Atkin

Ellis Hollow