When Jimmy Carter became president, in his first address to the nation, he made announcements of changes that affect us today.

No more nuclear war, he announced. President Carter’s solution: We will burn coal. We have plenty of coal to make our energy.

This nation had a plan in place for clean energy, less pollution and to become fuel independent. Now, President Jimmy Carter was going to change all that.

This affected my family, the company I was employed with, the power companies and the whole nation.

Working in power generation, this affected my income. The company lost orders. The power companies had to lose all investments they had in nuclear power. Then, they suddenly had to build new coal fired plants.

When Carter did this, he pleased the unions, the railroads and the coal miners.

This nation experienced the worst pollution ever.

Our government then stepped up and said that all the coal burners must clean up their smoke. Result: a new billion-dollar industry to put scrubbers on the smoke stakes.

The result was coal ash. The power companies asked, “What do we do with this coal ash?” The government said, “Dig a pit and put the coal ash in it.” The result was polluted water, rivers and lakes.

Now the blame is on the power companies. You caused it and must pay to clean it up.

And you want to vote these same like-minded people into office again. Kick the can down the road.

— Kenneth Karriker

Kannapolis