EPA chief pushes pipelines as agency dashes protections

The Trump administration’s promotion of fossil fuels requires eliminating this competition, obstructing clean energy projects by any means possible. But blocking cost-competitive clean energy projects is apparently not enough to make new gas pipelines and power plants economically feasible or competitive with renewables. That’s why Zeldin has been busy propping up oil and gas by eliminating protections of clean air and clean water at every stage of the fossil fuel production and combustion process.

As a former senior official at the agency, I am appalled to see the EPA administrator so brazenly betray his charge under the nation’s environmental laws while essentially shilling for an industry he is bound by law to protect us against.

Brad Campbell

President

Conservation Law Foundation

Boston

The writer is the former administrator for the Mid-Atlantic region at the Environmental Protection Agency.

I’m outraged that EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, whose job is nominally to protect the environment, is lecturing Massachusetts about energy costs and infrastructure.

Recently, the Trump administration rescinded leases for offshore wind development. It stopped a strategic transmission line just as electrical demand is surging. It killed a critical loan program for residential solar power for low- and moderate-income families. And this week, it announced plans to further restrict wind and solar energy development on public land.

Zeldin says, “New England should come together to support American energy infrastructure.” It’s evident that when he says “energy infrastructure,” he means that which will lock our region into fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

Indeed, New England does want more energy infrastructure. That includes solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and advanced nuclear. What we don’t want is a meddling federal bureaucrat to shove another pipeline of dirty fuel down our throats.

Frederick Hewett

Cambridge

In his Aug. 6 op-ed, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin claims that states should not “overreach” their power to halt new polluting fossil fuel infrastructure. The only overreach is a federal official forcing on New England a false solution to a problem exacerbated by his administration’s undercutting homegrown, cost-lowering resources such as offshore wind and solar.

Siting isn’t what’s stopping new pipelines; it’s that the natural gas consumers Zeldin is concerned about — electricity generators — do not want them. The generators are capable of signing new long-term contracts for firm capacity, and pipeline developers could build new infrastructure by complying with environmental laws and ensuring that the pipelines do not release carcinogens into our drinking water. But neither has happened. The market responds to demand, and regulations balance the people’s interests against industry’s. We do not need outside interference that only benefits natural gas companies and their investors.

Zeldin wrote, “New England should come together to support American energy infrastructure.” We are partnering on local clean energy solutions that make communities healthier, increase reliability, and lower bills. The best thing the EPA can do is focus on protecting the environment and human health, not running interference for fossil fuel companies.

Amy Boyd Rabin

Vice president of policy and regulatory affairs

Environmental League of Massachusetts

Boston

While EPA administrator Lee Zeldin argues reasonably that Massachusetts would benefit from the Constitution Pipeline delivering large volumes of Pennsylvania gas to reduce our energy costs, his arrogant hypocrisy floods the page when he protests that New York and other states “should not block critical energy infrastructure in the name of climate change.”

While lecturing us to avoid the endangerment of fossil fuel profits, his administration acts with glee rescinding federal permits and leases for large offshore wind energy facilities along the East Coast. You want the Constitution Pipeline, Mr. Zeldin? How about you strike a grand deal with East Coast states: They agree to support the pipeline while the federal government agrees to immediately confirm wind leases and permits and stop hindering the development of our offshore wind projects.

The Trump administration cannot claim that there is an energy “emergency” while in the same breath blocking gigawatts of offshore wind. Maybe one day this administration will wake up and consider that it is actively destroying the economic futures of a whole lot of American workers and companies that are primed to deliver large volumes of American energy, starting with the port of New Bedford at the center of our state’s wind energy industry.

Brian Kopperl

Belmont

The writer is managing partner and cofounder of Renewable Energy Massachusetts LLC, a solar development company. He is also cochair of the Belmont Energy Committee.

Lee Zeldin’s broadside against New England “climate zealots” promotes using more natural gas, but gas is already the greatest source of energy in the region. According to the US Energy Information Administration, as of Friday morning natural gas accounted for 59 percent of total energy use, nuclear 27 percent, and wind and solar together 7 percent.

Zeldin weeps for American families “who have suffered long enough” from high energy prices, but American families mostly suffer from annual rate hikes and growing air pollution. Zeldin rails against climate activists who have “derailed American infrastructure projects.” I am one of those zealots. I installed solar panels on the roof of my house, nixed my electricity bills, sold my clean energy surplus to utility companies, and made the air a bit cleaner. Guilty as charged.

Anatol Zukerman

Plymouth

The writer is a member of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.