News

July 5, 2008

Carney looking to draw ‘green’ firms to region

U.S. representative touches on variety of subjects at town meeting.

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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HARVEYS LAKE – U.S. Rep. Chris Carney said Tuesday night he wants to turn Interstate 81 into an energy corridor, hoping to attract environment-friendly energy companies to the area.

About 15 people showed up at a town meeting hosted by Carney, D-Dimock Township, at the Harveys Lake Municipal Building. The 10th Congressional District and Northeastern Pennsylvania have always been at the forefront of energy issues, Carney said.

“The green energy sector will be the real job generators of the future,” Carney said. “We have to provide a solid transportation infrastructure to accommodate them. We can’t focus on building quarter-million-dollar bridges to nowhere.”

Carney said the area’s future is bright, adding alternate energy sources will be a major component of the new economy in America.

Carney, a former naval intelligence officer, said Fidel Castro’s resignation in Cuba will offer the United States an opportunity to forge new diplomatic relations with the island country. Fidel Castro will likely be replaced by his brother, Raul, who Carney feels will be more receptive to overtures from the United States.

“I’m not saying we will be buying beachfront property in Havana in the near future,” Carney said. “But I do think Raul will be more cooperative than Fidel. I see this as an opportunity for us to reach out to Cuba.”

When Jim Abrams of Ethos Gen Inc., asked Carney about Afghanistan, the congressman said the Bush administration’s strategy in Iraq has hurt the nation’s global position on terrorism. He said an administration official recently told him “we’re holding our own.” Carney said this will be a major topic of discussion over the next four years.

“This is something the next president will be facing,” Carney said. “If we finish the fight in Iraq, do we then go into Afghanistan? What about Pakistan? And we have to be concerned about places like Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Balkans. It all bodes ill for the future.”

Carney said the United States is spending $16 million per hour to fight the war and more than a half trillion dollars has been spent so far. He said that it would take 18 months to withdraw all troops if the war ended today.

When Michael McDowell, president of Misericordia University, asked Carney about the state of the student loan industry, Carney said Congress must find money for student loans.

“We can’t make it harder for kids to go to college,” he said. “From where I stand, I won’t let that happen.”

Carney recently announced a grant of $302,000 for Misericordia’s assistive technology research institute to be used for infrastructure improvements and equipment.

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