Students Quiz Nethercutt On Environmental Issues

Most students who questioned Rep. George Nethercutt at a southeast Spokane middle school Friday said they’d vote for him if they could, although some disliked his views on fur coats.

The 52 students in Chase Middle School’s Environmental Studies program prepared questions about the Endangered Species Act, animal testing, logging and oil spills when they heard Nethercutt would visit.

The 5th District Republican gets poor ratings from adult environmental groups for voting for salvage logging in wildlife habitat areas, easing restrictions on industry and favoring the rewriting of the Endangered Species Act.

The 12- and 13-year-olds in the new program at the Spokane school study English, math, science and social studies with an environmental focus.

They appeared satisfied with most of Nethercutt’s answers.

“I know it’s hard to say it’s OK to cut trees,” Nethercutt told the class. “But trees are a renewable resource, like wheat … Not exactly like wheat.”

Nethercutt assured them the Endangered Species Act “will still protect species” if it is revised by Congress. Environmental laws need to be analyzed for their costs and benefits, he said.

“Which ones have burdened us to a point where they cost society money but don’t produce tangible benefits? So often we equate effectiveness with the amount of money we spend at the federal level.”

The national debt is the nation’s most important issue, he said.

“If we don’t balance the budget we’re not going to have enough money to clean our air and our water. I think it has to be done in that order.”

Nicole Lindquist, 12, asked his opinion on fur coats, a question Nethercutt later said he didn’t expect.

“I don’t have a problem with fur coats,” he told students. “Maybe I should be more sensitive to fur coats. I don’t own a fur coat. I think people should have a right to own fur coats.”

He added he’d agree that fur coats are “detrimental to animals because they’re killed.”

Lindquist said Nethercutt’s views surprised her.

“I wasn’t expecting he would answer that fur coats are OK. If everyone had a fur coat we would not have any animals.”

Marcus Washington, 13, agreed. “It kind of makes me not want to vote for him. What if an animal killed us and wore us as a coat?”

Nethercutt, who visited the school during a congressional recess, offered to stay in touch by telephone to answer students’ questions as Congress considers environmental issues.

Lynn Bain, who teaches the environmental program with Debra Schultz, said she appreciated Nethercutt’s time and would look for someone to present an opposing viewpoint to the class.

Samantha Mace of the Inland Empire Public Lands Council said she would be eager to visit the class.

“Nethercutt’s promise to children that our endangered species will be protected seems a bit hollow considering he voted to suspend all environmental laws, including the Endangered Species Act, that protect fish and wildlife from overlogging on our national forests,” she said.

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