Climate change was one of the topics covered by a panel of Eastside mayors at the Sept. 9 Leadership Eastside meeting. The Bellevue Reporter article “Eastside mayors discuss challenges, opportunities” (Sept. 16 issue) states that many of the mayors were proudest of their efforts to curb the impact of climate change.

Mercer Island Mayor Bruce Bassett said “Environmental sustainability is something we’ve been working on.” Kirkland Mayor Amy Walen reported that “her city is working hard to reduce its carbon footprint.”

The panel also discussed the challenges of growth on affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure as well as on the environment. Mayor John Marchione of Redmond added that “he’d like to see a growth policy in place that is environmentally friendly.”

The current Energize Eastside proposal by Puget Sound Electric (PSE) to build a new 230,000-volt transmission line through 18 miles of mostly residential neighborhoods on the Eastside is not the best way to achieve environmentally friendly development and would not minimize the carbon footprint of our communities.

There are new technologies that would be more efficient, cost less and have less impact on our environment. The Seventh Northwest Power Plan published by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in February 2016 concluded that energy efficiency is the best way to meet demand for the foreseeable future.

PSE’s Energize Eastside proposal would result in a long-term commitment to an outdated technology and would be inconsistent with our technology-savvy, environmentally-aware region.

Kristi Weir

Bellevue