Our polluted air will get worse under new rules What...

Our polluted air will get worse under new rules

What goes up comes down. And, unfortunately for all of us who live around the Chesapeake Bay, we are down -- downwind of some of the dirtiest air in the nation.

The central bay area includes some of the nation's worst air. The American Lung Association ranks the Baltimore-Washington region as the nation's 11th-smoggiest.

And now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision on review of new sources of pollution has rolled back clean air enforcement and threatens to increase pollution in the bay ("EPA adjusts rules on dirty air," June 14).

Air pollution, much of it from power plants and heavy industries, contributes as much as one-third of the bay's worst pollutant -- nitrogen. And mercury, another airborne pollutant, has led to warnings to fishermen to limit strictly the fish they eat.

This EPA rollback will make the problem worse.

Reducing red tape may seem like a good idea, but not at the expense of our health, our economy and the bay.

William C. Baker

Annapolis

The writer is president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's decision to relax air pollution guidelines for utilities is further evidence President Bush continues to support dirty energy at the expense of the American public, even when excellent alternatives exist.

According to the EPA, 110 million Americans live in areas with unhealthy air. And power plants are the largest industrial sources of many of the pollutants in our communities.

Solar and wind power plants are clean, renewable energy sources that present an alternative to coal, oil and gas; they can produce an infinite supply of domestic energy without polluting the air or causing global warming.

But instead of wholeheartedly supporting these options, our government seems dedicated to continuing our addiction to dirty fuels.

Philip D. Radford

Washington

The writer is executive director of Power Shift, a nonprofit group that promotes clean energy.

Catholic bishops again fail to lead

Archbishop Harry J. Flynn was quoted as saying this was a "defining moment for us ... as bishops." He is correct, and my verdict is that the Catholic bishops have again failed in their leadership role ("U.S. bishops say abusers lose ministry," June 15).

They just do not get it, or maybe pressure from Rome caused them not to get it. Whatever the reason, they have failed the tens of millions of loyal U.S. Catholics to protect 250 or so abusers.

As Catholics, we have an obligation to show compassion for both the abused and the abuser, no matter how difficult the latter is. However, that does not mean we have to accept past abusers remaining priests.

Even Christ's compassion had limits. He showed his anger for the money-changers in the synagogue. Where is the moral anger of our bishops?

Harry Carnes

Ellicott City

Let manufacturers cure bus wheel woes

I see the state transportation secretary is spending money for a consultant on the problem with bus wheels ("Expert added to team working on bus wheels," June 14).

Maybe that is not a bad idea. However, if I have a problem with my car, I go to the manufacturer, and I expect a prompt and free answer.

Certainly someone designed the wheels, and the attachment devices. Let that person provide the answer -- promptly and for free.

H. Glen Miller

Wiseburg

If lobbyist broke law, he should go to jail

I have difficulty understanding the logic of the subheadline in the June 14 Sun regarding the possibility that Bruce Bereano entered into an illegal agreement: "If he knowingly broke law, his lobbying career could suffer, they say" ("Bereano's contract dismays lawmakers," June 14).

Why shouldn't it read: "If he knowingly broke law, he will be carted off to jail or, at the least, be fined and banned from Annapolis forever"?

Mike Hutchins

Westminster

Bin Laden, not Iraq, poses greatest threat

In response to The Sun's article "U.S. troops in Kuwait said key to terror war" (June 10), I have one question: If we have enough nuclear weapons to wipe out Iraq, why do we think their government is bold enough to use nuclear or biological weapons against us?

This question leads to one conclusion: Iraq is a relatively small threat to America. Here's the real threat: Osama bin Laden and the terrorists who lust to destroy America.

Let's focus on our priorities.

Mark Fuller

Leesburg, Va.

Project partnerships take time to develop

The Sun's article on our company left readers with an incomplete view of what it takes to bring public-private developments to life ("Owings Mills Metro builder hit snags with other projects," June 9).

What reporter Gerard Shields called "snags" are common and necessary occurrences in our business, which requires us to work with multiple public entities, other private entities and community groups to develop economically viable projects that create better places for people to live, work and play.