To the editor:

I’m writing to express my strong support for the expansion of offshore wind as a generational leap forward in our pursuit of environmentally sound energy policy.

Given the growing crisis with forest fires, flooding, historically powerful hurricanes, and now extreme heat waves killing people in record numbers and making the southwest U.S. nearly unlivable, we must intensify our efforts to replace fossil fuels with viable alternative energy sources. 

There are pros and cons to every choice we make, but certainly we must act to halt the climate crisis that is clearly upon us. We have few options available to us as we move away from the fossil fuel use that is strangling our planet. Solar, wind, nuclear … these energy sources all have well-known downsides. But they exist now. Perhaps there’s a real future in fusion energy, but it’s anyone’s guess how far off a practical technology really is. 

We face these hard choices right now, and we can’t say no to everything. We can’t put off large-scale implementation of alternative energy any longer. We’re out of time; the federal Department of Health and Human Services secretary just declared “extreme heat a public health crisis” (Providence Journal, Aug. 11).

We’ve gone through the pain and public angst of broad technology change before: industrialization, electric power, transportation, computing. These advances came with a cost, and much diversity of opinion on the best path forward. 

Thankfully, we pushed through the issues, didn’t get bogged down by the “cons,” and made amazing progress. We must hold tight to that history, find the resolution to problems, and get on with the solutions — like wind power. Yes, there will be setbacks, accidents, and impacts in our communities, but it’s undeniable that it works, can work at scale, and it’s available now.

It’s incumbent on all of us to help find a way. It’s our history of technological progress. And now our back is against the “environmental wall.” We cannot afford to focus only on the downside, and just say no. If you don’t have a better idea, pitch in and help advance the solutions at hand. We’re out of time. 

Jim Seveney

72 Macomber Lane

Portsmouth