While driving past the San Onofre nuclear reactors, I noticed with some irony that their emergency sirens are powered by solar panels, so that in the event of a nuclear accident, the sirens will still have power.

I’d like to suggest that we get rid of these very expensive and potentially dangerous nuclear reactors and replace them with inexpensive, safe and reliable solar panels on rooftops throughout California.

Most people already know that California’s new Million Solar Roofs Initiative, SB1, has strong bipartisan support and is very likely to pass this year, bringing solar into the mainstream and replacing the need for far more expensive large and polluting power plants. 

Most of us probably do not know that now is our chance to influence the outcome of the most significant federal legislation for solar energy in more than two decades. Both the House and Senate have passed their own versions of the energy bill, and their combined conference committees will attempt to hammer out the final bill in a few short weeks.

The Senate version, containing a 30 percent tax credit for solar energy, is much preferred over the less generous House version.

Now is the time to take action and tell your House representative and senators to support clean, renewable solar electricity and the solar tax credits. Every letter and call counts!

Solar power will create millions of new jobs for American workers and reduce air and water pollution and global warming while increasing energy independence and security.
 
— Michael Lind, Ojai