Letters

I read with interest your article last week about East Hampton’s draft energy plan [“East Hampton Moves Toward Renewable Energy Roadmap Adoption,” 27east.com, July 30], but as usual it appears to be all talk with little action.

The town made its highly impractical 100 percent emissions reduction plan roughly a decade ago and, unfortunately, has spent almost no money to achieve that goal during that time period. Not surprisingly, the town puts out more greenhouse gas emissions now than it did then, according to its recent consultant’s report.

What the town specializes in is paying a variety of different consultants without ever taking any meaningful action. Perhaps being more realistic would be a good start for the town, as it still claims it can achieve its lofty 100 percent reduction goal by 2030 — even New York State assumes that only 50 percent of emissions will be cut by then, and that will likely not happen.

From a financial standpoint, it is too bad more is not done in terms of upgrading the town’s infrastructure to better efficiency and alternative power sources. Solar on town buildings alone might allow the town to offset its own electric usage and probably save taxpayers 50 percent over the long term.

More importantly, the town owns a large tract of land near the airport that has been designated for a solar project now for almost a decade, and yet nothing is done. A community solar project there might offset 30 to 40 percent of the town’s electric usage, provide significant lease income to the town, and, lastly, allow for a 10 percent reduction in green electric costs for both residents and commercial operations — a win-win-win!

Sadly, from my reading of the recent consultant report, all that will happen is that the town will continue to drag its feet and eventually buy some carbon-offset credits to pretend it has met its 2030 goal. Most research in the last few years shows these types of projects are just greenwashing. That sounds about right for East Hampton.

Brad Brooks

Springs