While reading the State House News Service article “Details emerge in massive climate bill” (Recorder, June 17) it became obvious to me there was way more said between-the-lines than in the actual text. It is understandable that politicians in Boston are hard pressed to meet the state’s climate goals and that how they meet them is a tough call. What seems not understandable is how open they intend to be about the process. Co-chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, Sen. Michael Barrett reportedly “focused his remarks on bringing more transparency to the siting and permitting process.” Really?

Out here in western Massachusetts we have a history of being ignored by folks to our east on most things (except perhaps in leaf peeping season). Readers may recall the so-called General Court turned a deaf ear to us prior to Shays Rebellion? I suspect one of the most unspoken things between the lines in the siting and permitting process is a forgone conclusion on sacrificing our carbon capturing forests out here for industrial solar. That would be a self-defeating tragic mistake. Our mature forests are our climate saviors. Clear-cutting them for short lived solar is nothing short of sheer madness. Do not do that.

Don Ogden

Florence