Chelsea Barnes: Solar not a detriment

I was disappointed and frustrated to read the Jan. 16 news article “Senator: Solar panels ‘ruin’ fields.”

If Sen. Bill Cook is concerned about the effects of energy resources, I’d be happy to take him on a tour of our state to show him examples of energy resources that actually ruin farmland, poison our water and pollute the air we breathe.

Solar energy is one of several solutions to the much bigger problems presented by coal, natural gas and oil, which have been poisoning our land, water and air for decades.

Our leaders should take the time to carefully compare the pros and cons of each energy resource before leading a campaign against an industry that provides thousands of jobs in North Carolina while providing emissions-free power for our state.

This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Chelsea Barnes: Solar not a detriment."