Green hydrogen, U.S. Senate rules, interest rate hikes, AM radio, impeachment costs, and cocaine in White House

Hydrogen more harmful than CO2

Using dirty methane fuels to make what’s called gray hydrogen results in the same heat-trapping emissions, including leaks from infrastructure, as burning them for fuel [“Make clean hydrogen tax credits work,” Opinion, June 30]. Clean, green hydrogen is made from efficient, renewable sources like wind or solar. Alternative blue hydrogen uses fossil fuels but depends on carbon sequestration, not currently feasible at scale.

Hydrogen may be the only practical way to clean up aviation, long-distance trucking and heavy industry, but the leak-prone gas reacts with methane and provides climate problems of its own.

The danger, though, is that gas companies are promoting blending it with methane. Hydrogen blends leak at higher rates than plain methane and increase the probability of pipeline failure.

Gov. Kathy Hochul must stick to the plain language of the climate law, which calls for zero emissions electricity and use our growing wind and solar power to directly power the grid.

— Morgan McLenan, Freeport

Senate must avoid one-person blocking

When a single senator can override the wishes of the other 99, something must be done [“Military promotions still blocked,” Nation & World, July 16]. I have experienced one person blocking an amendment as a former temple board chairman.

It’s time the Senate gets rid of all their illogical rules (including the filibuster) and start following the same rules most other organizations use.

— Lloyd Baum, Long Beach

Raising interest rates has repercussions

The Fed must be cautious if it decides to continue raising interest rates, as it may result in a recession that will lead to millions of lost jobs [“U.S. inflation hits 2-year low point,” News, July 13]. Job losses will mean economic distress for those no longer receiving wages.

It also will endanger Social Security and Medicare as those paying into those programs decrease. Social Security and Medicare are already on thin ice, as they are predicted to eventually have insufficient funds to pay full benefits.

— Peter Hanson, Nesconset

Keep AM radio because of its range

I agree with the editorial “Keep AM radio in cars for now” [Opinion, July 5]. Carmakers should and, I believe, will keep AM radios in cars for the foreseeable future. There’s much consumer demand. As the editorial stated, “Right now, about 50 million Americans still listen to AM.” I am one. I listen regularly in the morning at home and on my drive to work to get news, weather, traffic, sports and commentary.

AM also has significantly longer range than FM, about 100 miles as compared with 30 to 40 miles. This is important for emergencies and would be the primary reason to get government involved with creating a law to keep it.

— Ed Schwartz, Dix Hills

Impeachment cost was money well spent

A reader is indignant about using taxpayers’ money to impeach twice then-President Donald Trump [“When is it all right to ‘waste’ tax money?,” Letters, July 16]. If he could try to look at the bigger picture, he would find that money was spent protecting our democracy from a rogue president.

Trump will never just plead guilty to any charge. He will repeatedly appeal and try to get a judge that he appointed to throw out the charges.

Hunter Biden is first a victim of drug dependency, second a victim of those trying to divert attention from Trump’s actions and lies and the Republicans’ removing rights from all of us.

The GOP should stop trying to destroy Biden while ignoring Trump’s blatant attempts to circumvent our laws to save face from an electoral loss.

— Michelle Urso, West Babylon

New Yankees’ patch drills hole in tradition

Once again, Major League Baseball and other major sports continue to demonstrate what they feel is important, bamboozling their fans into thinking what’s best for their sport. Now, the Yankees will get a Starr Insurance patch on their left sleeves for $20 million per season [“It’s only a patch, chill out,” Sports, July 16].

Yes, it’s a lot of money, but for the richest franchise in all of sports? Is it worth upsetting what separated them from every other team in pro sports — class, tradition and history?

They had a uniform with only numbers — to signify who the players are — and pinstripes. No other team uniform can replicate that. The almighty dollar strikes again.

— Tony Antonelli, Islip

Cocaine check fails at the White House

So the Secret Service used their crime lab to check for DNA and fingerprints and investigated video surveillance but came up without a suspect who left the cocaine in the White House [“Secret Service: No leads on cocaine found at White House,” News, July 14].

I am in shock that they didn’t come up with former President Donald Trump’s DNA.

— Robert Riccuiti, Farmingdale

Newsday gives more than half a page to a Bravo celebrity’s separation [“Richards, Umansky separating,” flash!, July 5] but only four inches of type to cocaine found in President Joe Biden’s West Wing [“Powder forces White House evacuation,” Nation, July 5].

I can imagine the coverage if it was found in then-President Donald Trump’s library.

— Adrienne Bryant, Northport