To the editor:

What’s the point of having representatives if they don’t represent us? Douglas County overwhelmingly opposes the coal plants. Why is Tom Sloan voting for them?

Sloan says he has worked to make the coal plant bill “greener.” There are greener ways to produce energy – wind is one – but at this point in time, there is no such thing as a green coal plant. However great the scrubbers, we still end up with too much mercury in our water and millions of tons of carbon dioxide warming our atmosphere. The first harms developing fetuses, the second threatens the well-being of generations to come. Sloan’s vote is on the wrong side of history. I wonder how he will explain it to his grandkids.

Roger Pine says he’s voting for the plants because they will be the greenest in the state. Come on. That’s like saying it’s OK to smoke as long as you use low-tar cigarettes. It’s not. You still get lung cancer. He says the transmission lines will be good for wind. But I don’t see the wind industry fighting for these plants. Does Mr. Pine know something that wind developers don’t?

Douglas County wants to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Our representatives need to represent us instead of Peabody Coal.

Scott Jackson,

Eudora