Sunday, April 14, 2013

Missile Range or Renewables?

The Defense Department doesn't like the alignment of the SunZia power line that will carry renewable power.  They say it will harm the White Sands Missile Range even though it is well north of the active range.  The planning process has been exhaustive and now there are threats from self appointed defense guru Sherman McCorkle that the range will leave NM if Defense doesn't get its way.  What a crock?  Where would they go?  What other state has the space or stamina for going through NEPA qualifications etc. to get the range?

What is really more frustrating is the comments of Senator Tom Udall, the sometimes master of fence sitting on issues.  Here is what the Journal quoted him as saying,

Saying WSMR has a “diverse and important mission,” Udall said he has urged the cooperating agencies to work together for a “timely and fair resolution concerning WSMR and SunZia we can all benefit from.” 

What the hell does that mean?  Does he have a position?  Come on Tom!  Man  up a little.  You are on the appropriations committee.  Defense will most likely do what you want and deep down you know the power line is more important to the future than some missile shots.

Senator Heinrich was more forthcoming.  

"Heinrich said the siting process has been “deliberate, transparent and comprehensive. I am excited that this proposal is on the verge of moving from the planning phase to actual construction.” 

That sounds like support for the hard right of way decision for the power line.  He takes a position.  And it is the right one.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Tom Udall is saving it for when he stands up in the Senate and dares the president to cut Social Security over his dead body.


The Journal headline says the power line will be a threat to national security. Just for the record, the greatest threat to national security is the US military, and the politicians who have drug us into a deplorable 50-year succession of wars of aggression, and the Capitalists who ensure the military remains the biggest cash cow on the block. Because of them millions of children can't get a decent education, we can't get a decent alternative energy sector off the ground, and on and on and on.

Not to mention the threat to all the other nations' security, who, when you add all their military budgets together, don't spend as much on war as we do.

What's wasted down there at White Sands would do a lot more good if invested in the New Mexico economy in wiser ways. Sure, it's impractical to talk like that, but we need more people to think like that.