Rio Grande LNG has been beating the South Texas brushland for positive comments to support and hasten their export terminal for approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. RGLNG is using a form letter distributed to these commenters and the usual business entities, politicians and BND officials have been enlisted, but one of them was a surprise as it was penned by the Valley Regional Medical Center CEO who writes, “I can state unequivocally that the majority of people living in and around Brownsville, which is economically challenged, support the development of the RGLNG project.” So, I wonder if this professional has read any of the increasing number of studies on exposure to oil and gas development.
Per Environmental Health Perspectives, July 2022, an investigation as to whether residential proximity to flaring from OGD Industries is associated with shorter gestation and reduced fetal growth in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas. The study suggests that exposure to flaring from OGD is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. Won’t RGLNG be flaring?
What about carbon capture sequestration, an expensive and relatively new technology being touted by RGLNG and commenters? Per Physicians for Social Responsibility in February 2022, “CCS technology and associated pipeline infrastructure are economically costly and come with a significant set of public health hazards. … It is reckless to spend money on unproven technologies that contribute negligible benefit or, worse, disproportionately impact already disenfranchised communities.”
Our RGV communities and professionals must look at the big picture for our own health and prosperity that are our natural resources and our human capital. The only objective for LNGs is profit garnered through overseas sales at the expense of the locals who suffer the long-term economic and health consequences.
Diane Teter
Edinburg
Protection
in the media
It is apparent that governments are instituted to protect residents, not exploit them. However, the mainstream philosophy today seems to believe the opposite, that government exists to liberate citizens of all ages from any constraints so that unregulated capitalism can work its way on them.
The state of Utah has passed a law regulating social media that requires things like verifying the age of users before granting access, obtaining parental consent to open an account and prohibiting the use of design features known to cause addiction.
Those who believe in full empowerment for little tykes as soon as they pop out of the womb are worried about offending First Amendment speech rights. Children clearly are not fully enfranchised as to speech rights until they can vote. Then they can speak out loud and clear.
We want our kids to survive childhood and become stable adults who can contribute to society. Children are ill-equipped to survive all the technological depredations aimed at seducing them today. Their maturation takes decades. They mumble incoherently throughout their K-12 education, so there should be no worries about curtailing access to media platforms that most of their parents can’t even handle.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah
