Letters

Letters to the editor

WADING RIVER
Editorial was misleading
Your editorial (“Proposals merit more study,” Nov. 25) distorts some key points regarding the Long Island Power Authority’s efforts to develop a re-use plan for the shuttered Shoreham Nuclear Plant.
You incorrectly state that there are no wind generator blade-making plants in the U.S., only in Europe and Brazil. Actually there are wind blade-manufacturing plants in the U.S. One such is the huge Siemens’ facility located in Fort Madison, Iowa. What we don’t presently have is an operational blade-testing facility in North America to certify the newer, bigger 90-meter blades. There is one such facility that is under construction in Boston and will not be operational until March 2011. What is being proposed for the 61-acre LIPA parcel would be the second of its kind.
Your description of National Grid being LIPA’ s “operating partner” creates the erroneous impression that they are on the same page regarding the re-use of their respective Shoreham properties. The reality is that National Grid has made very clear to LIPA and the Shoreham Advisory Committee that it will cooperate with the re-use of the shuttered Shoreham plant but have no intention at this time to engage in a master plan for their 840 acres at Shoreham.
Your review of the three uses (scenarios) developed by LIPA’s consultants, VHB, is also misleading. Scenarios 2 and 3 were based on what might be possible only if National Grid changed its position and wanted to plan for development of its Shoreham property. It should be noted that Scenarios 2 and 3 were developed by the consultants in response to the requests of some members of the Shoreham Advisory Committee to look at all the possibilities.
To us, the best way to forge ahead at this time is to take a serious look at the wind generator blade-testing facility proposal. This proposal has certain advantages. It is located on LIPA-owned land, requires minimal modification of the existing infrastructure, requires minimal cooperation from National Grid, promotes renewable energy and might overcome any local concerns.
If the blade testing facility proves to be a reality, its success or failure might be the impetus for National Grid to begin planning for the future of its Shoreham holdings.
Hopefully, preservation of open space on this magnificent site will be given a high priority. It should be also noted that a recent report, The Economic Benefits and Fiscal Impact of Parks and Open Space in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, N.Y., finds that having parks, farms, and forests generates $2.74 billion per year for the Long Island Economy.
Sid Bail
1st vice president, Wading River Civic Association member, Shoreham Advisory Committee

CALVERTON
Why so quiet, Tea Party?
How’s that corporate Republican Tea Party thing working out for ya? It didn’t take a week for the new class of corporate-backed, Tea Party-infused Republicans to arrive in Washington for them to show America their true colors. After screaming for two years that government-run health care was bad for the country, when it came time for signing up for their own government-run Congressional health care, only two of them turned it down in protest. In fact, incoming Maryland Tea Party Congressman Dr. Andy Harris had a fit when signing up for his government-controlled health care because it would not kick in until 28 days after he was sworn in to office. With over 40 million of his fellow Americans not having access to health care at all, Congressman Harris was incensed that he had to go less than one month without it. So, after insisting that government-run health care was “socialism” and “Obamacare” and no good for “We The People” it turns out that it’s perfectly fine for “They The Hypocrites.”
This would be enough, but the next order of business was for the new Republican congressman and senators to vote for their brand new party leadership. Sure enough, instead of voting for change, they chose Bush retreads Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. After screaming about how much they were all concerned about the deficit, the new leadership’s first line in the sand was restoring the unfunded Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Now, President Obama has proposed restoring those Bush tax cuts on the first $250,000 of income for all Americans, but somehow Republican deficit hawks want to lard an additional unfunded $700 billion onto the deficit on top of that over 10 years. Republicans immediately threatened to hold hostage the Democratic proposal of an average tax cut of $700 — $3000 for middle class Americans in order to defend Republican proposed additional tax cuts averaging $100,000 to $350,000 for millionaires and billionaires. Why aren’t Tea Party members screaming at Republicans that they’ve sold them out? Can they possibly want to add $700 billion unfunded dollars to the deficit as a gift for the top 2 percent of wage earners? It will be interesting to see whether members of the Tea Party will hold corporate Republican hypocrisy to task. So far their silence has been deafening.
Jerry Silverstein

GREENPORT
You made it all possible
On Saturday, Nov. 27, SAVES (Spay, Alter, Vaccinate Every Stray) held its sixth annual Art Benefit for Animal Lovers at Martha Clara Vineyards. The event was a huge success thanks to the support of the entire North Fork community. We would like to thank our generous sponsors — Cliff’s Elbow Room and Elbow Too, RBC Wealth Management, Island International Industries, Colony Realty, North Fork Imports, North Fork Animal Hospital and Petco.
Over 80 local artists, many of them members of the East End Arts Council, donated wonderful works of art that made our live and silent auctions successful. Sixty-five local merchants donated merchandise and services that were used in chinese auctions and balloon sales. SAVES would like to give special thanks to Patty and Steve Stampf, Tonic Design House, Marja Ames, TAKE 3, Dave Nyce, Stan Wollmers, Connie Rae Aldridge, Coster-Heppner Funeral Home, Defriest-Grattan Funeral Home, Karen’s Country Deli, Leanne’s Cakes and the more than 20 volunteers who worked at the benefit.
Martha Clara Vineyards is the only facility that can handle an event of this size. Their staff and management are to be applauded for their professionalism, which helped to make this a great success.
Finally, we would like to thank the crowd of over 200 people who attended the event and participated in the auctions and sales, thereby contributing their money to help fund our organization. It is extremely rewarding to know that a not-for-profit animal welfare organization has the support of the community. As a result of the contributions of so many businesses and individuals, the benefit generated much-needed funds that will be used to fund SAVES’ spay/neuter and rescue/adoption programs. We thank you for your support and can tell you that the felines are very thankful.
Al LaFrance
president, SAVES, Inc.