Horse Heaven wind and solar project won’t help fix climate change, or much else | Opinion
Horse Heaven wind/solar won’t fix climate
The purpose often cited for building the Horse Heaven wind/solar project is to stop climate change and because Washington state needs more power.
These windmills will be long since worn out before seeing, if at all any, impact on Washington climate.
The Northwest continues to export huge amounts of electricity to California (~40 TWh in 2020). This is equivalent to four Columbia Generating stations. (It produces about 10 TWh annually of plentiful, cheap, on-demand 24/7 electricity for over a million homes — something wind and solar cannot do.)
Effectively, the power from the project will go out of state. In summary, this project does not achieve the main goals touted by proponents. It will not change the climate a whit.
Bill Gates recognized early on that wind and solar are not good climate solutions. This is why he formed TerraPower (a nuclear power company) in 2006. The Horse Heaven Wind/Solar project simply does not meet its stated purpose and hence should not be built.
Craig Brown, Richland
Vote for Prosser schools, students
Please vote yes on both the EP&O levy renewal (Prop No. 1) and the capital levy (Prop No. 2) to support our Prosser students. While the state claims to fund the “basics,” it does not fund the things — arts, athletics, activities — that make school an engaging place where students want to be.
Teaching band in Prosser for the last seven years, I’ve had many students choose to come to school every day for band, drama and clubs. They work hard in classes to stay eligible for sports and learn dedication and commitment through sports and activities.
As a parent of two Prosser students for 11 years, I’ve seen our daughters take challenging classes, find a home in various activities and sports and explore talents and passions they never expected. Without renewing the EP&O Levy, many of these opportunities will go away for Prosser’s students.
The Capital Levy addresses some much-needed repairs and updates to Housel Middle School. It also improves ADA accessibility at the stadium, which will benefit all users. Yes, this is a new tax, but a small one that ends after four years.
Please vote yes on both ballot measures, and thank you for supporting Prosser’s students!
Dan Norris, Prosser
Sessler explains why he’s running
I’m Jerrod Sessler, a candidate for Washington’s Fourth District, and I am running for Congress to support traditional values and fight for conservative leadership. I will always uphold the Constitution and defend our freedoms. As your representative, you will have leadership that listens, cares and responds.
I’ve already developed the Eastern Washington Helpline, which is a support and communication model that honors the voters. This is a vital piece to my vision because I want to inspire everyone in Washington state who loves traditional America to register and vote because their voice matters!
Representatives are public servants, and they are elected to serve their constituents. Unfortunately, politicians like Dan Newhouse have forgotten who they serve, and his record of betrayal shows that he does not represent Washington voters.
Jerrod Sessler, Prosser
