READERS RESPOND

* AT ISSUE: While the AES Corp. wants to reopen two boilers, Surf City

officials want to make the power plant more attractive.

In response to the article “Huntington Beach seeks to beautify power

plant” (Nov. 16), specifically to the comments of Councilman Ralph Bauer,

where he said, “I’ve lived here for 36 years, and I’ve had to stare at

that plant the whole time.”

I would venture to guess that AES Corp. was there long before Bauer

purchased his home, and if the plant was such a nuisance, he could have

always sold and moved elsewhere.

The longtime resident also stated residents must put up with the

chemicals the plant spews into the air. I take issue with this statement

because it is not accurate. I worked for 20 years in one of these plants,

and they do not spew any chemicals into the air.

These facilities are run under extremely rigid rules set forth by

various regulatory agencies. The stack emissions are tracked, recorded

and transmitted to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Calibrations to the emission monitoring systems are accomplished on a

scheduled basis to ensure compliance with the regulations.BRENT R. LOCKE

Huntington Beach

I think the AES power plant definitely needs a new paint job and some

landscaping on the perimeter.

ROBERT DUNN

Huntington Beach