Natural gas bill: Duty to preserve

I applaud Sen. John Braun for his leadership in the frustrating task of representing the minority party. [“Natural gas bill is just part of cap-and-trade, and just as egregious,” Opinion, March 29]

Climate policy is, in my view, a fundamentally conservative issue. Roger Scruton writes in “Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition” that good things are more easily destroyed than created; therefore, the current generation has a duty to conserve those good things for future generations. Washington state’s wonderful climate is one of those good things. Those future generations include farmers, nature lovers and Washingtonians of all income levels who depend upon snowpack for their electricity and drinking water.

I volunteer with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which strongly believes that in designing climate policy, we need more conservative voices like Mr. Braun’s. It is good to wonder whether a 37% increase in electricity costs is worth the carbon reductions, and I would have appreciated more details about “error that makes [PSE’s bill] unconstitutional.” I hope that, in the future, we will hear more of Mr. Braun’s ideas for conserving Washington’s great outdoors.

Nathan Hatch, Seattle