Alternative energy exciting

I don’t think Tom Horne (“Wind projects expensive,” May 12) is looking at the bigger picture when it comes to wind power. To be built in the first place, they create high-wage construction jobs. The maintenance cost is more high-wage jobs. With the vast supply of wind and water energy in the Northwest (which can always be shipped off to California or Las Vegas), we have the opportunity to become the “Appalachia” of the Industrial Revolution (i.e. coal) or the Texas/Oklahoma of the oil boom. But with an earth-friendly resource.

We have a base of technology employers (Boeing, Microsoft and others); with some help from our elected officials, we could draw manufacturing of solar/wind generation (G.E., Westinghouse and others).

As for the Avista increase, look no further than boardroom greed.

If we keep our minds open to all that wind, solar, and hydro and hydrogen production can offer, and the role our region and our children could have in this exciting 21st-century opportunity, what an amazing future we have.

Craig Everson

Newport, Wash.