Fossil fuels: Grandstanding hurts our community

Re: “Mello: Take dirty projects off the table,” (TNT, 8/16).

The histrionics and chronic NIMBYism overshadowing the issue of fossil fuel production and transport via the Port is fairly remarkable.

To ideologically blind yourself to the fact no “clean energy economy” exists, let alone will provide high-wage jobs so desperately lacking in many of our communities that would benefit from such opportunity, is intellectual fraud at its worst. Advancements in technology and safety procedures combined with an already robust regulatory process overseeing these types of industries render the possibility of a catastrophic incident rare if not moot.

But as soon as the term “fossil fuel” enters the conversation, certain people immediately default to losing any semblance of rational logic. Our Port thriving does not have to equate to an unhealthy Puget Sound and surrounding environment. To suggest otherwise is nothing more than another display of grandstanding activism that has sadly taken precedence over legitimate conservation that benefits everyone.

(Johnson is co-owner of Poly Bags LLC.)

This story was originally published August 26, 2016 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Fossil fuels: Grandstanding hurts our community."