Your “Our Views” opinion on Sept. 6 regarding Democrats wanting to kill the oil industry wreaks of fearmongering and an extremist political viewpoint.
It's high time to get politics out of crucial decision making. Some key points: 1 billion vehicles on roads worldwide; 25,000 planes (commercial). Note that Japan has the largest hybrid electric vehicle fleet.
No political party can "turn off the spigot" of the oil industry, not to mention all the oil byproducts throughout one’s household. Do I need to mention plastics? That is becoming an environmental problem too.
But with climate change proven, one cannot bury their head in political sand. We can and desperately need to take some major steps to avert exceeding nature's balance.
No one and no business can stop using gas or diesel vehicles "immediately" but some corporations are already phasing in hybrid/electric vehicles.
Coal needs to phase out quickly. Post-World War II, the government provided the GI Bill to assist vets returning to civilian life; a similar program could be implemented to the coal industry and "x" number of years to oil/gas as alternate energy sources continue to phase in. (Not overnight).
Shallow Gulf of Mexico oil and gas has declined dramatically since the mid-1980s and the expense of deepwater operations necessitates continuance for the foreseeable future and we will always need oil/gas to some degree. Oil and gas production will not last forever and this state's two primary incomes: oil/gas and tourism were both decimated with oil's price downturn and COVID-19, respectively.
Should we be flat footed, such as coal states, or put new emphasis on "real" education for our younger generations to come?
MICHAEL EGLI
retired pilot
Lacombe