VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Congressman Bean reacts to President's State of the Union Address U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04) released the following statement in response to President Biden's final State of the Union address:Tonight, I heard President Biden speak of unity and bipartisanship, but since day one, his administration has been defined by divisive policies that are the wrong approach for Florida families and workers.

The wordecline' best describes the state of the Union under President Biden -back-breaking inflation, skyrocketing gas and grocery prices, an invasion along our borders and global instability. It's clear the only promises President Biden is interested in upholding are the ones he made to radical progressives and Communist China in exchange for their support in the upcoming election.

"In the House, I'm fighting every day for what Floridians want -a nation that is pro-growth, probusiness, pro-worker, pro-family and above all pro-American. We have a long way to go, but with the right leadership, American prosperity will be restored, and our later years will be greater than the former. The best is yet to come. Ethanol plant: Right idea, wrong

location At a recent city commission meeting, the fire chief reported that the fire department has been understaffed for the past nine years and is requesting three additional positions. This has raised concerns about our community's capability to respond effectively to emergencies, including potential incidents at the proposed bioethanol plant.

RYAM's proposal to locate this new process near residential areas could pose significant risks in the future to the safety and well-being of our community. The history of ethanol production is marked by explosions and fires, which highlight this new process and the inherent dangers associated with this industry. For example, recent incidents near Grand Island, Neb., and Wood River, Neb., demonstrate the devastating consequences of such accidents.

RYAM's promotional information says air quality would improve by 5-10%, but is this a good trade-off for the potential risks?

At the recent open-house event, attendees were left uninformed about crucial information such as operational processes, safety measures and environmental impacts. RYAM is not clarifying how they plan to manage water usage and treat wastewater, or how they will ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations, including the Emergency Planning Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA).

There was also a lack of information regarding the transportation plans for ethanol from the facility, and they did not address concerns about the potential risks associated with transporting ethanol through residential areas. It is unclear whether they plan to use rail or truck transportation. This raises concerns about the safety of the residents living near the transportation routes. RYAM needs to provide clear information about its transportation plans to address the concerns of the local community and comply with the EPCRA.

The city's Comprehensive Plan was designed to safeguard the well-being of citizens. City Attorney Tammi Bach is seeking an outside legal opinion on whether RYAM's proposed bioethanol plant complies with the city's Comprehensive Plan. However, in an excerpt from the Comprehensive Plan, policy 1.07.12, regarding industrial zoning states chemical or petroleum manufacturing or refining shall be prohibited. Ethanol is a chemical and the formula is C H OH, C H 0, so I am unclear as to why that needs further clarification.

Certainly, I understand the importance of creating renewable energy sources, but I strongly disagree with the proposed location for the hazards noted as well as the easily destroyed natural resources such as our waterways and estuaries. I urge RYAM to reconsider their plans and look for alternative sites that are more rural and will not pose risks to residential areas. Additionally, I ask the Fernandina Beach City Commission to prioritize the safety and well-being of its residents by following its Comprehensive Plan and being transparent with the public in every action.

Terry Grady Fernandina Beach

Home Owner's Insurance I fear that the end times are upon us. I have been in total agreement with two of Steve's columns recently. The first was his opinion of the city floating a $25 million bond. I agree with Steve bad idea. The second was March 6's column regarding homeowners insurance. Our government is completely in fantasy land regarding this economically existential issue. I would like to offer a humble suggestion upon this matter.

The homeowners insurance market in Florida is broken. I do not think that it can be repaired, all things considered. Bad risks are concentrated within the state sponsored pool. Moderate risks are offered up to private insurers who are permitted to price coverage wherever they desire. My insurance is up to $700 a monthyes, a month. This is not sustainable. My government representatives have assured me that insurance premiums will come down in the future. I don't believe that.

I believe that the only answer is to establish a single insurance provider that is state chartered, privately managed and run as a not-for-profit, a co-op if you will. This structure would be similar to that of The Vanguard Group. In this way, all risk could be centrally pooled and priced appropriately. Without a profit motivation, marketing costs and other administrative savings, and with the benefit of going to the reinsurance market as a larger single pool, the reinsurance market would be better able to articulate total risk and provide coverage.

We have the expertise here in Florida to achieve this. And for those who believe that the private sector can do it better, it's clear that it has failed here. As a good comparison, recall how the electric utilities and the phone companies were organized for the first century of their existence prior to deregulation. Those of us that are old enough to remember know how well that model worked.

Joseph M. O'Donnell Fernandina Beach

Hate has no room on

this island Once again, I open the paper to a letter, which frightens me because of the vitriol aimed toward a few groups on our island. Teaching kids about CRT as Ms. Whalon refers to it and gender choice and sexuality was never verboten until people like Ms. Whalon decided to turn it into something dirty. You say parents should have control, and yet we have a group like the CDF involving themselves in our school's curriculum. I am absolutely scared to death we will have an epidemic of hate spread across this island in the form of beatings, vandalizing cars, being called names and having lives threatened. I have many African American friends as well as many in the Pride community. I fear for them. Remember, words matter and hate has no home on this island or in this community. Barb Gingher Fernandina Beach