LIPA, masks in schools and high school football

LIPA is not a utility — that’s the problem

The Long Island Power Authority is the problem ["LIPA can work — without PSEG LI," Letters, Nov. 28].

LIPA was set up after the closing of Shoreham. It is not a utility and therefore the   New York State Public Service Commission does not regulate LIPA or PSEG Long Island, as it does other state utilities. It is long past time to correct this situation and lower the cost of electricity on Long Island.

— Henry K. Schlobohm, Holbrook

The reader who is pushing for elimination of all fossil fuels for heating homes and commercial buildings apparently does not know how the physical world works ["We can do quite well without fossil fuels," Letters, Nov. 28].

Electricity needs energy to produce it. Suggesting 70% renewable energy is not practical. Fossil fuels are reliable, and nuclear energy is the only long-term green solution.

— Joe Peters, West Babylon

The writer is a stationary engineer.

In order to replace all the energy that a typical home or business receives from the gas distribution system and fuel oil deliveries, the capacity of their electric services would have to at least double.

This means the entire electric distribution system would have to be redesigned and rebuilt. And shutting down all the fossil fuel generating plants means a new transmission system would have to be designed and built.

And when the cost of all this work is added into the electric rate base, only millionaires will be able to pay their electric bills.

— Charles Berry, Merrick

The writer is a retired electrical engineer.

Solar power should be encouraged, but there should also be equity ["LIPA takes input on changes," News, Nov. 30]. While those who choose solar are connected to the grid, they need to help pay for its maintenance.

In addition, they should also help pay for any debts incurred by LIPA and any current tax payments for decommissioned power generation facilities.

These financial burdens were incurred while they were customers, and they should not be allowed to walk away from them.

— Dave Pedersen, Nesconset

We will deplete a strategic oil reserve for temporary price relief ["U.S. to release 50M barrels of oil reserve," News, Nov. 24]. What is the point?

I fully agree that we should be doing much more climate-friendly energy, but these other energy sources, i.e., solar, wind and nuclear, are not nearly ready for prime time yet.

Therefore, the oil pipeline and fossil fuel drilling should not have been abruptly stopped, especially when we were energy independent and with a full strategic oil reserve.

It would make so much more sense to earmark a significant portion of the infrastructure bill money to go to these new energy sources and make them fully operational before shutting down fossil fuels.

— Lionel Mailloux, Manhasset

Have a test school with no masks worn

Having spent my entire life in Massapequa Park and being a product of the Massapequa school district, I gave a silent cheer along with my disgust for the district board at the same time ["Judge: State has authority for school mask mandate," News, Nov. 26]. It’s the first time I can clearly state how embarrassed I am regarding our school system.

Thankfully, Albany County Supreme Court Judge Henry Zwack ruled in favor of mandating   that children wear masks in school. It seems that the parents are having the issue with mask wearing while the kids themselves are fine with it. I can only hope that people in town remember who the school board members are when voting comes along this spring.

For all those looking for a solution while our COVID-19 numbers once again increase, I’ll suggest this. Take one school in our district and make it a school without masks. Let any parent enroll their child in this school where no one will be required to wear a mask.

This way they can keep them away from all of us who will continue to follow the science and try to keep our children and families safe.

— Vicki Appel, Massapequa Park

They’re still winners despite title defeat

A big congratulations to the Walt Whitman football team for a great season ["In final seconds, ’Pequa gives Whitman a ‘Chill,’ " High School Football, Nov. 27].

The Long Island Class I championship game loss by three points really means little after the Wildcats had won all 11 of their contests this season before the title game.

They won the hearts of the South Huntington community.

— Rick Meuser, Huntington Station