COLUMN Do Renewables Make Sense Yet? By MIKE ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com I see the left is at it again. If you disagree with or question their agenda, then you are labeled as “evil.” Now I’m being accused of being opposed to renewables. If you’ve read my writings on the topic, then you know nothing could be further from the truth. Anyone who is aware of the concerns regarding climate change and understands that fossil fuels are not renewable,…
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Mike Zagata
Column by Mike Zagata, September 28, 2018 New York Not So Great Lately, Either ‘America was never that great.” That’s an amazing quote from a man who’s had nothing but opportunity his entire life. Yes, he’s made the most of it, but that’s not the point. The point is that, because America was great, he had the opportunity to succeed. Before moving to the point of this article, I thought it might be useful to look at the media via…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Better Living Through Plastics By MIKE ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Governor Cuomo is about to extend the temporary ban on fracking in New York and make it permanent via his budget Bill. Some will cheer that action, but those who understand its unintended consequences won’t be among them. Indeed, they will live in fear of another pandemic where we don’t, as a result of his ban, have access to the materials needed to combat any…
THE VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Oil Embargo’s Lesson Forgotten In 1973, the Organization for the Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) from the Middle East imposed an oil embargo on the United States. It had a crippling impact on our economy and on our way of life because we didn’t produce enough energy in this country to meet the demand. People waited in line for hours to buy a few gallons of gasoline and tempers flared. The same impact was felt on…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Did Anyone, Or Everyone Kill U.S. Pandemic Team? By MIKE ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com A friend of mine commented that he was upset with the president because he had eliminated the Pandemic Response Team (PRT). I didn’t know there was such a thing and I’m guessing that neither did the President. However, the fact that my friend was blaming the President for eliminating it, and then a year or so later having us face a…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT NYC Looking Upstate To Solve Its Problems By MICHAEL ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Most of you will recall the contentious debate between those who wanted the right to frack for natural gas beneath their property and those who wanted fracking banned. A foundation paid lawyers to visit towns and help them draft language prohibiting the practice of fracking within their jurisdictions under the aegis of “home rule.” Concerned citizens, fearing ground water contamination, pressured the…
THE VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT $1B In Fracking Royalties? To Penna., Not New York By MIKE ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com As Americans, it’s our right to advocate for things we believe in and against things we don’t like or want. However, with that right comes a responsibility – a responsibility to take the time to thoroughly educate ourselves about the pros and cons of whatever it is we want to advocate for or oppose. That means thinking in advance…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT How To Best Reduce CO2 – Trees Or Solar Panels? As I’m sure many of you did, I read with great interest about the proposal to build a 3,000 acre solar farm near West Laurens. It’s a great opportunity for the affected landowners – much like the Marcellus gas and the Constitution Pipeline would have been for many New York landowners. Why is the solar farm being greeted with enthusiasm while the potential to drill for…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Rising To The Fly By MICHAEL ZAGATA • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com Fishermen understand why the brook trout they catch are often smaller than the brown trout they catch. It’s because the brown trout are more discerning about “rising to the fly” and thus falling victim to the fishermen’s net, while brook trout are prone to rise to the first fly they see. There is a lesson there for all of us with regards to how we…
VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Save Eagles From Environmentalism In 1969, our country moved from demonstrating against the Vietnam War to marching for environmental protection. That year, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which required federal agencies to do an Environmental Assessment (EA) and/or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to granting a permit allowing a “project” to go forward. If it was determined the project wouldn’t cause any “significant” environmental impact, a Negative Declaration (Neg Dec) could be…