Manufacturing's role, responsibility on LI
A historic highway road sign outside the former Grumman Corp. plant in Bethpage, as seen on Nov. 11, 2014. Grumman manufactured aircraft used during the Cold War and also made the Lunar Module that landed men on the moon in 1969. Credit: AP / Frank Eltman
Many would agree with “Spotlight on manufacturing” [Editorial, Dec. 30], but with the addition of the following caveat:
Manufacturing can only be key to Long Island’s economy if, and only if, the industry can avoid contaminating the water we drink, fouling the air we breathe and polluting the coastal waters that make Long Island the place where we want to live. Let’s face it, Grumman Corp. was once the driver of the local economy, only to have left us with seemingly insurmountable environmental degradation and an ongoing threat to public health.
Furthermore, recognizing the integral connection of Long Island’s economy to the quality of our environment, growth of the manufacturing sector should be based on a green economy, such as: effective water and wastewater treatment technology; renewable energy innovations; and green building and transportation infrastructure.
Michael White,
Centerport
Editor’s note: The writer is an environmental law attorney.
In the name of affordable taxes
People want affordable housing. They want affordable education. And they want affordable childcare, among other things.
I would just like to see affordable real estate taxes.
Thomas Tierney,
Greenlawn
Despite flaws, America’s great
I thought that your editorial on Dec. 24 [“The Wonder of the Holidays”] was very good. It can be hard this time of the year to be merry and hopeful when we see the strife in the world today, not to mention the divisiveness in American politics.
I thought that using Louis Armstrong’s classic, “What a Wonderful World,” was a great way to accentuate the vast amount of good there is in the world. The editorial ended with “This holiday season, may each of us find peace within ourselves, and from that, peace on Earth.” Bravo!
But then you put Matt Davies’ cartoon on the same page, showing Santa warning his reindeer to remember their “active shooter protocols” as they enter the United States. That was a downer, and it deflated the value of the points made in the editorial. America has its flaws, but it is still the greatest place on Earth. That is why so many around the world strive to come here.
In the future, practice what you preach.
Ted Kiladitis,
St. James
About time we get rid of Bethpage plume
It’s a shame that Grumman has not expedited the cleanup of the Bethpage plume, which has been ongoing since 2013 [$585M plume cleanup approved,” News, Dec. 22]. The Grumman facility in Bethpages has been the home of aerospace manufacturing, and over the years has contaminated the water. It is about time that Northrop Grumman get rid of both these contaminants in the ground and cancerous pollutants in the water.
Martin Blumberg,
Melville
