'Shooting Ourselves in the Foot' 

Editor: I read with interest the articles written by Thadeus Greenson, and I'm always amazed at how much environmentalists want to tear down everything that sustains human life ("The River Runs Free," Sept. 12). At a time in California's history when there is an unprecedented demand for electricity, we are conducting the greatest hydroelectric dam removal in American history. We're supposed to feel good about this because we're restoring fish habitat but when we need the electricity the most we're shooting ourselves in the foot.

These dams provided power for 70,000 homes; they produce 750,000 MWh each year. We could've easily built fisheries on the Klamath and put in fish ladders, and then whatever it took to help the fish and still maintain electrical power to the population of Northern California. It blows my mind to see how quickly we're doing everything we can to just turn where we live into a basic wasteland. How are we going to replace the loss of electrical power that supplied what was needed for 70,000 homes? Instead of building new dams and power stations, we are tearing them down. The proposed gigantic offshore windmills are a huge gamble on untested technology. They will cost billions, but hey, they're green! Our county budget is millions of dollars in the red. That's what happens when county political decisions are driven by environmental extremism. Our timber and fishing industries have been destroyed by environmental litigation and legislation. Oh, but there's always weed, right?

Omberto Silva, Rio Dell