Dear Editor,

The discussion regarding who should pay the $12 dirty air penalty, motorists or industries in our Valley, has the wrong focus. I believe neither should have to pay.

Our motorists or industries don’t pollute the air any more than any similar populated areas of our state. The reason we have higher ozone readings is because of the configuration of our Valley. A reasonable air board would have considered this before handing out penalties.

We need to vote the unreasonable environmentalists out of political offices (usually Democrats). I believe in clean water and reasonably clean air, but many in our government are very unreasonable such as the environmentalists who tested cows in tented cubicles. Was their goal to put catalytic converters on each cow in the shape of a gas mask if the cows didn’t meet their air standards?

People need to contact their state representatives and air control people regarding the unfair $12 fee for our Valley.

— Wendell Martin