20-04-2025
Why are environmental costs overlooked? The bill always comes due
There have been several news stories recently about modular nuclear reactors powering data and AI centers. These are being treated like a new buzzword to solve all our power problems. Advantages touted include low carbon emissions and the fact that they could be built at a pace similar to auto and plane manufacturing with limited regulatory oversight.
We are stunned that there is NO discussion of the full life cycle of these types of power plants and their uranium fuel. On the front end, uranium is mined, processed and concentrated to produce the fuel for the nuclear reactors. On the back end, the nuclear power plants have to be decommissioned, and the radioactive plant components and uranium fuel shipped and stored.
Even after 80 years of this country generating high level nuclear waste, there is no permanent long-term storage facility for the waste that is dangerously radioactive for thousands of years. Nuclear fuel rods from power plants are commonly stored on site in cooling pools. What could go wrong with that?
David and Pamela Johns, Austin
Re: April 13 article, "Central Texas town divided over gas plant"
Sandow Lakes Energy, the developer of a proposed gas plant east of Austin, touted the benefits the plant would bring. They included 400 construction jobs, dozens of permanent jobs and an increased tax base. Notably absent from the list is the thousands of tons of carbon dioxide the plant would produce. This gas will increase already dangerously high temperatures.
Why choose an energy source adding to global warming when clean energy sources — wind and solar — are quicker to build and non-polluting?
Philip Russell, Austin
In kindergarten I learned about my responsibility after making a mess: 'Clean up, everybody do your share.' I learned that if I made a mess, I must clean it. Otherwise, our beloved teachers would be stuck cleaning after me.
Now as a 10th grader at Austin Achieve High School, I learned about orphaned wells. I could not believe that in Texas, the home that I love, there are people who did not learn as children about cleaning up their mess. Why are they not ensuring that the wells they built and benefited from are properly decommissioned and plugged so they don't affect others?
I live far from places where orphaned wells are a problem. But that does not mean I do not care. I want our legislators — who I assumed went to kindergarten — to do everything possible to ensure that well owners and operators clean up after themselves.
Elisa Rodriguez, Austin
Re: April 13 article, "Abbott launches blitz to stop proposed Islamic community development"
There is no issue of more importance in the founding of this country than the freedom of religion. Many of the colonies were settled in the 1600s by people who faced persecution in Europe. While some settlers came for economic reasons, the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct.
Now, Gov. Greg Abbott is attempting to suppress the rights of some Texans because he opposes their religion, namely, Islam. Not only do his actions as governor violate the U.S. Constitution, they violate the Texas Constitution, which provides for equality under the law no matter one's "sex, race, color, creed, or national origin." Our laws prohibit the governor through his office to "substantially burden a person's free exercise of religion."
Gov. Abbott is seeking to interfere with the rights of Muslims to practice their religion. His actions should be condemned by every freedom-loving person.
Lamar W. Hankins, San Marcos
I simply can't understand or accept the ridiculous premise of a $1 billion dollar taxpayer-funded private-school voucher program. What a classic rich-stealing-from-the-poor paradigm. You want to send your child to private school? Fine. Pay the tuition. But, don't ask for public money to cover the cost.
Marty Lange, Austin
Re: April 13 column, "Animal Services helps homeless help their pets"
If dogs could talk, they would tell Brendan Gemmell: "Thank you for the food, and thank you for feeding my keeper's soul."
Mr. Gemmell, an outreach worker for Austin Animal Center, is on a unique mission to keep those experiencing homelessness together with their beloved pets. It may seem like a simple act of feeding a dog, but in reality it is a grand gesture of understanding, love and pure goodness. He recognizes that a precious pet brings security, companionship and a reason to get up in the morning for people living in a difficult situation.
You are the leader of the pack, Mr. Gemmell. Thank you for your "one-man operation." Hope others join in: With 3,500 encounters per year, you could use a buddy or two.
Valerie Goranson, Round Rock
On April 15, the Texas House heard several bills that would weaken Texas' already meager gun laws. Rep. Cole Hefner asked one resident giving testimony: 'What is your solution? … How do we protect our kids?' I am more than happy to share some data-proven viable solutions.
Pass mandatory safe storage for all gun owners. One study found 42% of adolescent school shooters obtained the firearm from relatives, mostly through theft.
Hold persons accountable whose weapon was used in a crime because they failed to secure their firearm.
Require background checks for all gun sales and transfers, including at gun shows and online.
Pass Extreme Risk Laws.
Raise the age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21
Fund research on gun violence and its prevention
Firearm violence is a preventable public health tragedy that is largely dependent on the strength of gun violence prevention policies. Together we can make Texas a safer place for everyone.
Amanda Ammerman, Austin
It's truly disheartening to hear that the Trump Administration has decided to halt all investments in Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The decision has significant implications for vulnerable children around the world.
Since its establishment in 2000, Gavi has helped vaccinate more than 1 billion children and has helped prevent more than 18 million deaths. If U.S. funding ceases, an alarming 75 million children could lose access to vaccines in the next five years, with 1.2 million of them potentially losing their lives.
It's difficult to imagine a more compassionate act of U.S. international assistance than ensuring children have access to lifesaving vaccines. I strongly encourage our members of Congress to urge the Trump Administration to reverse this decision regarding Gavi funding. Additionally, the U.S. should restore humanitarian and development aid that addresses pressing issues like tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, nutrition, education and more.
Susan Lamb, Austin
The Trump administration contends it is powerless to effectuate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom it illegally deported to El Salvador. If President Trump truly had the will to bring Mr. Abrego Garcia back to the United States, he could be back within 24 hours. President Trump need only announce a 145% tariff on all imports into the U.S. from El Salvador unless El Salvador's president returns Mr. Abrego Garcia by such deadline.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Roger Ferris, Austin
It is long past time for our senators and representatives to stand up against President Trump's contempt for the Constitution and defiance of the Supreme Court.
His statement that he has no power to retrieve Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and the laughing chorus of his slavish toadies as Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele agreed that he would not return Abrego Garcia as "smuggling a terrorist into your country," are transparently malicious steps in an ominous strategy. It also flies in the face of the literally hundreds of people over hundreds of years who have been returned to the United States from foreign prisons.
If members of Congress still think that due process is important, and obeying orders from a federal court is important, and an actively involved legislature is important, now is the time for them to speak up and take action.
Win Bent, Austin
Back in January, Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, along with Democrat U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, introduced the bipartisan 'TRUST in Congress Act,' which would require members of Congress to put certain investments into a blind trust to avoid the possibility of insider trading.
A worthy goal indeed.
Hence, in the true bipartisan spirit of his proposed legislation, and in light of the drastic swings in stock prices due to President Trump's on-and-off tariffs, surely Roy will join Democrats in calling for investigations into possible insider trading by Trump and his billionaire friends.
Then again, don't count on it, as sometimes principles only go so far.
Stephen Shackelford, Austin
Re: April 12 article, "Senate panel undecided on daylight saving time"
It would be laughable that we should all suffer the disruption to our natural Circadian rhythms caused by daylight saving time so that golfers have more evening hours to play if it wasn't so clear that Congress is more interested in what big business wants than what is best for the health of all Americans.
Daylight saving time used to end a month earlier until the candy industry lobbied to extend it past Halloween. Now we face the real possibility of kids walking to school in the dark, commuters driving in the dark early hours, and the proven physiological disruption that daylight saving causes as permanent to make businesses happy. So wrong.
Standard time is standard for a reason.
Rona Distenfeld, Austin
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor for April 20, 2025
