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Delta tunnel will
mitigate sea-level rise
Re: “Newsom should kill off his zombie Delta tunnel plan” (Page A8, July 2).
Those opposing the tunnel taking water from the Sacramento River under the Delta to the state and federal water pumps near Tracy cite environmental dangers.
But the Delta will be inundated by sea level rise by the end of the century. Many Delta islands are already 20 feet below sea level. The island levees probably cannot withstand as much as 3 feet of sea level rise, which is forecast in a relatively few decades.
When the ocean invades the Delta, salt water will reach the pumps. Without a tunnel to the fresh waters of the Sacramento River, Contra Costa County will lose its water supply. The Livermore Valley will lose more than 80%, and southern Alameda County and Santa Clara County will lose nearly half.
Failure to build the Delta tunnel will be seen as incomprehensible madness by those living in the Bay Area just a few decades from now.
Gerald Meral
Deputy Director, California Department of Water Resources, retired
Inverness
Let’s take sideshows
from streets to Coliseum
Re: “Sideshows spin heated debate” (Page A1, July 5).
I am struck by how easy it is to penalize people to get them to do what you want. Do we want to be a free or repressive state?
In this case, it is my suggestion that an arrangement be made to use the Oakland Coliseum once or twice a month so these mostly young people can have a safe place to participate in and watch these sideshows.
Additionally, in good faith perhaps the participants can assist with the cleanup of the venue after an event.
Debra Shulman
San Jose
Modifiy building codes
for transition to all-electric
Tony Barboza’s oped in the July 13 edition of The Mercury News (“New all-electric homes show how to live sans fossil fuels,” Page A7) highlights the benefits of transitioning away from fossil fuels in our homes and buildings. However, it takes a long time for HVAC, plumbing and electrical contractors to change over to modern, more efficient equipment and practices for heating, cooling and other building appliances. Some of the obstacles are higher costs and perceived risk. In general, homeowners are unaware of better appliances like heat pumps and induction stovetops.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to get lower costs until people start buying in volume.
Subsidies and tax credits help, but not enough to address the urgency of climate change. Next to carbon pricing, the most effective policy is for communities to modify their building codes so that when natural gas appliances wear out, they are replaced with heat pumps and other electrical appliances.
Rob Hogue
Menlo Park
Article V convention
no way to gun control
Re: “Nation needs Newsom’s gun amendment to Constitution” (Page A7, June 16).
While in favor of gun control, I’m horrified at Joe Mathews’ suggestion of an Article V constitutional convention as a solution.
When such a convention convenes, its agenda is wide open. An Article V convention will cause extraordinary damage to our nation from the radical right, which is currently attempting to embed libertarian principles into the Constitution and weaken Congress’ ability to represent citizens. The Koch network spends millions of dollars to obtain just such a convention to rewrite the Constitution to include their business-biased ideology.
The correct amendment route is by way of a specific gun control amendment through Congress. The harm to our nation resulting from a wide-open Article V convention far outweighs any good that might (but is not guaranteed to) result from gun control accomplished through Article V.
Stop the Article V effort now lest you bring disaster. Do gun control through Congress, even if it takes longer.
Don Barnby
Menlo Park
Boycott Nabisco for
staying in Russia
I read on the CNN app that Nabisco had pledged to leave Russia after their brutal invasion of Ukraine. However, Nabisco has reneged on its pledge and in fact sells its products, thereby supporting the Russian war effort.
I, for one, will never buy Nabisco products again. How can you trust a product that is produced by a corporation that has no conscience?
To protest this lack of conscience, boycott Nabisco products and write the Nabisco Corporate office.
Linda OMaley
Morgan Hill
Source: www.mercurynews.com