Letters to the editor, Nov. 18, 2020

Harris undermines democracy
Rep. Andy Harris has done it again - this time falsely alleging voter fraud to keep himself aligned with the worst president our country has ever had - in this case, Donald Trump’s refusal to accept the fact he is a LOSER - losing the election to Joe Biden.
Mr. Harris is no dummy - he knows that Biden won in a free and fair election, and he like Trump and his attorneys have been unable to come up with any evidence at all of fraud in the election or vote counting. What’s more, Harris knows they never will.

How sad he is willing to cast doubt on our election integrity and undermine the very foundations of our country and democracy, especially given that his ancestors fled authoritarian oppressive dictatorships to come to our country. He needs to be challenged by every American who believes in America and our great values.
Mike Brown
Neck District

Opposes pipeline
The Chesapeake Utilities Pipeline is a fracked natural gas pipeline set to be built down the Eastern Shore along Route 13, starting in Delaware and ending at University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The pipeline poses a danger to the Salisbury community and its surrounding areas.
The pipeline will utilize eminent domain to build on people’s land. It also will impact multiple bodies of water including the Manokin River and many wetlands. Pipeline construction and leakage will impact the ecosystems that are valued tremendously by Eastern Shore community members.

Natural gas, while frequently said to be a cleaner alternative to coal, is just as dangerous and causes multiple problems. While it does emit less carbon dioxide, the methane it emits is more potent than carbon dioxide and stays in the atmosphere longer, acting as a greenhouse gas. Pipelines frequently leak and sometimes even explode, which happened back in August in Baltimore.
Some argue that the pipeline’s construction could bring jobs to the local community. It will require jobs to build, but these jobs are not guaranteed to be given to local community members. Many natural gas companies contract workers from outside of the area.

Governor Hogan has invested $100 million in the construction of natural gas pipelines across the state, and Chesapeake Utilities was the only company to bid on this project. Hogan is also on the Board of Public Works that will be voting on the pipeline, alongside Peter Franchot, who announced his intent to run for Maryland Governor in 2022.

If you would like to oppose this pipeline, contact the members of the Board of Public Works:
Gov. Larry Hogan - Phone: 410-974-3901
Online portal governor.maryland.gov/contact-the-governor/
Peter Franchot - Phone: 410-260-7801; Email: pfranchot@comp.state.md.us
Nancy Copp - Phone: 410-260-7160 Email: treasurer@treasurer.state.md.us
Benjamin Law
Salisbury