Rep. Mace working on solutions to electric grid problems
The wealth of our economy — the largest in the world — was built and is sustained on reliable electric power. It may not be obvious, but secure electric power is a much bigger proposition than any single utility company. A robust, well protected, smart and agile national power grid is a major component of our national security, economy and quality of life. To be safe and efficient we must move power quickly across regions of surplus to areas of shortage or outage anywhere in the country.
Unfortunately the U.S. has failed to make adequate grid improvements for decades. In the past 10 years, we have added just seven gigawatts of inter-regional power compared to 44 gigs added in Europe and 260 in China. Meanwhile, every new power project requires a stack of permits at every level of government from D.C., down to your home towns. Approval of new transmission lines can take up to 10 years.
Fortunately, Rep. Nancy Mace is seeking solutions to this problem. As a member of the House’s Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, recently she joined with 25 members from her own party and across the aisle to sign a letter urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). to prioritize permitting reform.
These days it really takes something to make a bipartisan move in the People’s House. For this, we should thank her and urge the rest of our South Carolina Congressional delegation to follow her lead.
– Tim Joy, Chapter Leader, Citizens’ Climate Lobby Beaufort
Thank you for Larry Dandridge
I want to let you know that I read The Island News and especially enjoy and appreciate the articles on veterans and military benefits by your columnist Larry Dandridge. Those weekly articles on veterans’ state and federal benefits are the most informative and helpful I have found anywhere.
You should also be pleased to know that I have recently contacted your Lt. Col. (Ret.) Larry Dandridge by email and asked him to please help my sister-in-law’s elderly and disabled veteran husband with his
veterans’ benefits. Larry provided me the same evening of my request with a huge amount of information on who my sister-in-law should contact in the Missoula County Veterans Affairs Office in Montana and who to contact in the Beaufort County’s Veteran Affairs Office (they live in both places). Larry also provided me with the S.C. Department of Veteran Affairs contact information, information on the state of S.C.’s five Veterans Homes, how to find VA-accredited VSOs, and much more.
I am most grateful this Thanksgiving Week that The Island News is so dedicated to helping our nation’s military members, veterans, and their families.
– Gene Sullivan, Bluffton
Thank you for the State News page
Thank you for your exemplary coverage of so many issues that affect our community, extending well beyond the expected crime and controversy stories to include health, education, thoughtful opinion pieces, and now the STATE NEWS page, culled from the South Carolina Daily Gazette, a nonprofit and non-partisan news site (scdailygazette.com). You are certainly doing your part to inform your readers about important issues and trends in local and state government. As our election cycle heats up, this kind of coverage will support a better-informed electorate. Great job!
– Carol Brown, Beaufort
