I was surprised when Green Party candidate Fred Horch decided to run in House District 66 against Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx this year. After all, in just two years, Alex has not only led a variety of initiatives in the Legislature on weatherization and clean energy business, but has also shown impressive national leadership as vice chairman of the National Council of State Legislators Energy Committee and in his significant work with the Truman Project on the issues of climate change and oil dependence. If ever there was a candidate who needs no Green opposition, it’s Cornell du Houx.

I was even more surprised when I attended one of the debates Horch graciously sponsored and heard his lukewarm response to the promise of all of the alternative forms of energy Cornell du Houx has sponsored in the Legislature – off-shore and on-shore wind, hydro, biofuel, and tidal – none of which seems to interest Horch much. He’s pushing solar, which certainly makes sense for Arizona or Texas. But this is Maine, and though we’re unlikely ever to lead the nation in solar energy, we may well do so in wind, while at the same time becoming considerably less dependent on oil.

Maybe I’m missing something, but it seems to me the real environmental candidate in this election is Cornell du Houx. I only wish he were in my district so I could vote for him.

The Rev. Frank C. Strasburger
Brunswick

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