Coping with my world

To the editor: Sometimes this world of ours is very depressing. How to cope with it affects my daily decision-making, but my volunteer work locally can and does ease the pain temporarily although the depression never really goes away. What remains of the old cherry tree now in bloom and the greening grass around me speak of wonder and hope but whereas in the past, before Iraq, it gave impetus to life, it now serves to remind me that most in this world, including in my own country, live in areas that are polluted to one degree or another. The waterfalls I sought for solace in the spring are no doubt barely running, if at all, due to our drought probably caused in part, by the world-wide degradation of our environment. And now my precious river valley is threatened by possible designation as a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. As I write this letter, the Deptartment of Energy has before it an application from the NY Regional Interconnect, Inc. (formerly known as Pegasus) to have us so designated, thereby negating the protection we now enjoy by virtue of The Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation amended by Jimmy Carter in 1978 to include us. We don’t have much time, as the Energy Department may act as early as next month. But we can act now and must to preserve our quality of life. Go to the website of the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition, www.udpc.net, learn about this issue and join the effort to save the river valley: You can make a difference and will feel better, even temporarily, when you do! Fran Hepburn Callicoon, NY