Thanks to Mark Sanford for protecting environment and saving us money

I have never voted for Mark Sanford, but I appreciated and admired his stands on environmental issues as governor. As a member Congress, he is showing that same environmental courage. As a recent guest on CNN, he spoke out in opposition to the current administration’s mandate for offshore drilling and seismic testing for oil and natural gas. He has worked to thwart federal spending for drilling and ban drilling, recognizing that such practices are not only environmentally detrimental but bad economic policy, especially for a state that relies so heavily on tourism.

Though the current administration is intent on pushing us back to the energy producing practices of decades past, it is becoming ever more clear that we cannot drill our way back to sound energy policy. A recent cost analysis presented by the International Renewable Energy Agency predicts that wind and solar power will be on par with — or even cheaper than — the cost of fossil-fuel-generated electricity by 2020. Turning to renewables is not simply an environmentally conscious decision. It is now a smart economic one.

It is heartening to see that at least one of our nine congressional representatives has received this message, but where are the other eight? They seem to be missing in (in)action.

The State publishes a cross section of the letters we receive from South Carolinians in order to provide a forum for our community and also to allow our community to get a good look at itself, for good or bad. The letters represent the views of the letter writers, not necessarily of The State.