To the editor:

The shutting down of coal, gas and nuclear power plants here in Minnesota and across the country are putting the citizens in future danger, especially with weather like we are experiencing. It’s become obvious after many years of experience that the solar panels and windmills cannot replace or meet current demands for electrical power that industries, businesses and residents require.

We need to go back to a little over eight years ago when then President Obama committed the United States to “unprecedented action against climate change” with sweeping new curbs on carbon emissions from power plants that are equivalent to taking 70% of American cars off the road.

We are living the results of years of agencies writing and implementing regulations that have created a shortage of energy at much higher costs. In addition, the mining of coal, drilling for oil and gas has been all but shut down completely by the current administration.

The push for all this “green new deal” stuff has resulted in edicts and mandates that are proving to be total failures and it is the cause of high transportation and production costs resulting in higher consumer prices for goods and services. Adding insult to injury, the government (the largest consumer) will raise taxes to cover these increased costs.

So why does Congress stand idle on this madness? Congress has the power with Constitutional authority to act on behalf of the legal citizens they have sworn an oath to protect and defend. Congress could, with their authority, remove the Federal agencies and their nationwide overreaching regulations and place the regulatory authority back to the States where they belong. Then the individual states can decide whether to build or not build power plants of their choosing.

Roger Baumann

Wabasso