Letters to the Editor: Oil and water don't mix

Oil and water don't mix

As a resident of northern Michigan, I strongly believe oil pipelines don’t belong in the Great Lakes, which supply drinking water for half of all Michiganders, power our economy, and provide endless beauty and recreation. That’s why we must shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Mackinac Straits and stop the proposed tunnel.

Built to last 50 years, Line 5 is a 70-year-old pipeline that has failed at least 35 times, spilling more than 1.1 million gallons of oil. Enbridge also owns the pipeline that dumped more than one million gallons of oil into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River in 2010. Michigan has alternatives to Line 5 for oil and propane without digging a dangerous tunnel under the Straits or suffering supply shortages or price spikes.

President Biden should revoke the presidential permit allowing Enbridge to operate Line 5 and order the Justice Department to intervene on Michigan’s behalf in ongoing lawsuits between Michigan and Enbridge.

To learn about strategic actions you can take to shut down Line 5 and stop the tunnel visit GroundworkCenter.org and OilandWaterDontMix.org.

Jeff Smith

Communications Director, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities

Navigating regulatory waters for rural broadband success

As we witness collaborative efforts between Congress and the Biden Administration to address the critical disparities in access to resources and services in rural areas across the nation, it is with both appreciation and concern that I share the perspective of the Rural Michigan Action Alliance.

The commitment that Congress and the Biden Administration demonstrated to expand broadband connectivity is commendable. Bridging the digital divide is crucial, and the Infrastructure Law holds the potential for transformative change. However, our optimism is tempered by concerns about potential challenges stemming from regulatory actions that could inadvertently impede progress.

Regulators undeniably play a vital role in ensuring the fair execution of laws, safeguarding consumers, and responsibly allocating tax dollars. While we value their dedication to these principles, recent regulatory actions have raised significant concerns about their potential impact on rural communities.

A specific area of concern is the introduction of price cap requirements in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This program, poised to deliver much-needed broadband infrastructure to underserved rural areas, faces a potential setback. The imposition of restrictive rules jeopardizes states' ability to attract effective partners willing to share costs for these critical projects.

Discouraging experienced and well-resourced private partners from participation due to onerous regulations may force reliance on less experienced and less effective providers. This risks suboptimal outcomes and raises the specter of increased costs. The urgency with which rural communities need access to broadband services is paramount to prevent the entrenchment of a societal divide between the internet haves and have-nots.

While we fully support the Biden administration's goal of addressing digital inequity, we advocate for caution against excessive and misguided regulation that could unintentionally impede progress rather than facilitate it.

In light of these concerns, we request assistance in ensuring that the regulations issued by Washington, D.C., regulators are practical and considerate of the unique challenges rural communities face. While acknowledging the importance of well-intentioned oversight, we caution against a heavy-handed approach that could deter investment, potentially proving detrimental to the communities we aim to empower.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to continued support in ensuring that our broadband efforts align with the needs and realities of rural Michigan. Together, we can navigate the regulatory waters to secure a prosperous future for our rural communities.

Jaime Brants

Chair of Rural Michigan Action Alliance

Trump needs to repeat kindergarten

An imaginary letter intercepted:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Trump: I am writing to inform you that Donald will need to repeat his kindergarten year because he has failed to master the skills that all our students need in order to advance.

For example, when he loses a competition, Donald will not accept it. Instead, he falsely accuses the other team of cheating and enlists comrades to join in his lies. Donald lies about many things, from how many students came to his birthday party to needing money urgently. Some days he will tell other students that he is lacking some of his lunch money and he gets others to give him a dime or a quarter, when he has more than enough money for lunch. As you already know, Donald pilfers items from the classroom, taking them home without permission.

He bullies other children at recess and often calls them demeaning names such as “crooked Joe,” “crying Chuck, and “little Adam.” He imitates some of our physically challenged students in a mocking manner. Worst of all, he has not learned to keep his hands to himself, and will grab girls by their private parts and then brag about it to other boys.

In summary, Donald has failed to learn the lessons that all kindergarten students must learn. His behaviors would not be tolerated in first grade. Despite Donald being much older than the other students we must enroll him again in kindergarten until he learns these important lessons.

Robert Fawcett

Petoskey

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letters to the Editor: Oil and water don't mix