Oklahoma: Saudia Arabia of wind energy?

Congressman Jim Bridenstine completely loses sight of the forest for the trees in his Rotary talk (March 15 front-page E-E article). He asks that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shift its focus from climate change (forest) to extend the time for tornado prediction to an hour or more (trees).

As trees are to the forest, the lone weather events (heat, drought, tornados, thunderstorms, floods, blizzards, ice storms, etc.) are to the climate. Overall, climate change is making dry areas drier, wet areas wetter, and storms more intense.

Because Oklahoma lies in Tornado Alley, our storms will grow ever more violent. In time, businesses will dare not build here because of the rise in risks and insurance rates. Even several days’ notice will not be enough. Only switching from fossil fuel usage to alternative energy helps by thinning the warming blanket of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.

Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, could become known as the “Saudi Arabia of wind energy” instead of “ground zero for tornadoes” or “the seat of dust storms.”

Irene Chang



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