BY DAVID REAGOR
Los Alamos County Councilor

This year Los Alamos County adopted a zero Carbon energy plan, known as the LARES plan. We have already seen similar plans lead to power shortages and blackouts in California and Texas. What happens is that unfavorable weather, such as an ice storm, will stop renewable production, then the storage runs out and the electrical grid collapses. In Texas last winter the natural gas quit as well, since the delivery system uses electricity. Most houses also require electricity to circulate heat, so they go dark and cold. In California, the closure of power plants leads to shortages throughout the summer. In general, the cost of energy soars during all these transitions. 

How will the county implement this plan?

• Ban natural gas hookups for new housing
• Ban natural gas appliance replacement
• Ban pilot lights
• Increase rates
• Mandate electrical appliances

What do we gain from this program? In return for these impositions the citizens of the county will receive nothing. Our contribution to a global phenomena is so small that we will never see any benefit. The energy transition act for New Mexico is equally useless. Due to deindustrialization the Carbon budget of the USA is decreasing, so even nationwide actions are less important over time. The policies of China, India, etc. determine the world Carbon budget growth. 

Imposing this ban on the public is just virtue signaling. The leaders may feel good about themselves, but many members of the community are retired on fixed incomes, or have a lower income. The community has to be a place where everyone is comfortable. The candidate forums have shown that the county council candidates are clearly divided on the issue of pursuing the Los Alamos Resiliency Energy & Sustainability Task Force goals. There are three candidates for county council that clearly oppose the LARES zero Carbon plan:

Sharon Dry

Reggie Page 

Gary Stradling

Please support them when you vote for Los Alamos county council.