Nuclear plant is needed for jobs, economic growth

Dear editor:

I have lived in Elmore County for six years. During that time, I've seen significant economic decline, especially in the downtowns of Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry.

I just don't understand why the Elmore County Commission sits on their hands and can't decide this economic opportunity of the nuclear power plant.

There is a lot of poverty here, a lot of poor people who can't make ends meet. Don't they care about those people? These people need jobs. The county is having to downsize and lay people off. I wonder how much the commission cares about holding this place together.

The airbase and agriculture are nice but we need to develop more industries because you never know when the government might move the base. Ag jobs are reliable and good for many people but we also need more well-paying industry here. A power plant is a good industry to have and it can't be moved to China.

Nuclear power is safe. On Aug. 19 a dam burst and killed people in Russia. See www.windturbinsyndrome.com for the problems of living near wind turbines. Nuclear power is very safe, doesn't take up much room, doesn't make any noise and is a good fit with an agricultural area.

I am also tired of these Sun Valley and Boise activists coming here and telling us what kinds of jobs Elmore County people are cut out for, or that we shouldn't make this decision ourselves. Elmore people are smart and hardworking and if they can work at an Air Force base, then they can work at a power plant.

As for the company building this plant, people bad mouth them. If they can get it done, then they can get it done. If they can't, then they can't. At the very least, give them a chance to do it.

I don't see anyone else stepping forward to bring us a good industry so let's see what this company can do.

Local government should try to help business, not stand it its way. It's a lot easier to stand in the way of something than to move it forward.

Kathleen Golightly