“This is a human catastrophe coming at us in the state of Maine in terms of energy supply and costs”
I agree with that part and not only Maine but the whole country.
His solutions though are way off in the future if ever and are not going to solve a thing in the near future. So what do we do in the meantime?
Even this will take time but Drill, drill, drill, nuclear power, nuclear power, nuclear power.
“His solutions though are way off in the future if ever and are not going to solve a thing in the near future. So what do we do in the meantime?
Even this will take time but Drill, drill, drill, nuclear power, nuclear power, nuclear power”
Some thoughts:
80% of Maine homes are currently heated by oil? Well, better find something ELSE to heat them with, pronto. Why not natural gas? Why not wood? Why not coal, even moreso than wood?
There are now “outside furnaces” that can be used for home heating. These can burn wood or coal, run automatically governed by thermostats and electric motors (for providing draft), and don’t need constant loading or tending (they still DO need such things, but at less frequent intervals).
Mainers who wish to “convert away from oil-based heat” should be entitled to deduct the entire cost of the conversion from their state income tax (amortized over a few years, if necessary). Not a portion - ALL of the costs.
Any and all state environmental laws restricting such outside home heating furnaces must be abolished. Any federal laws should be ignored - yes, ignored. Let the EPA send in their troops to force folks to freeze, and see how that goes.
Are there any oil-fired power plants left in Maine? If so, they should be permitted to convert to coal immediately, if desired. Again, any environmental restrictions standing in the way should be repealed.
Nuclear power won’t solve the immediate crisis at hand. This isn’t to say that nuke plants shouldn’t be built, they should. But that won’t do much to heat homes currently heated by oil in the short term (present to 15 years hence).
Nor will more domestic drilling, not for the near-term.
Again, the technology exists TODAY to enable homeowners to break free of oil-based heating. YES, the environment will not be as pristine if they do so on a large scale. Should folks freeze instead?
- John