Letters To The Editor

Environment

Campaign running off companies

I am unalterably opposed to the Clinton executive roadless decree that’s designed to withdraw more public lands from multiple use management.

The environmental movement in our country has become an industry with tremendous power. It’s responsible for reducing timber harvesting on the national forests to a mere pittance of their biological potential. As a result of this misguided campaign by the environmental industry, many major U.S. forest product companies are shifting their forestry operations offshore and to Canada. People have been displaced and valuable manufacturing facilities have been lost. Even after all the damage they’ve wrought, the environmental industry still isn’t satisfied and is demanding that the Clinton administration withdraw even more public land from multiple use management.

Over the past five years I’ve had the responsibility of disposing of a number of forest product manufacturing operations which were in various stages of closure because of the curtailments in the U.S. Forest Service timber sale program. I’ve met with hundreds of people throughout the Western United States who are victims of the environmental industry’s objectives. Many of these people will never recover completely. In all of the crew meetings I’ve conducted in this regard, representatives from the Clinton administration, the Forest Service or the environmental industry have always been conspicuously absent. Any suggestion that people and communities haven’t suffered because of the drastic reduction in the public timber supply in the Western United States callously disregards the facts. Not only have people’s livelihoods been needlessly destroyed, but ironically our public lands are now increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires, insect infestation and other environmental damage. Chris Paulson Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Program may not benefit forest health

Across the interior Columbia Basin, the Forest Service is planning numerous timber sales with the purpose of moving forests toward a historic range of variability (HRV) in the name of forest health. They hope to re-create what forests might have looked like in pre-European times, when intensive clear-cutting, fire suppression and grazing were absent. What is most disconcerting about this is their attempt to apply this treatment on a broad scale, thereby affecting entire forested landscapes with an untested and experimental approach.

This approach:

Broadens the discretion of the Forest Service to use disturbance as a means of restoration.

Focuses on forest productivity at the expense of species biodiversity, water quality and soil integrity.

Fails to acknowledge current timber harvest, fire suppression and grazing impacts on restoration efforts.

Fails to recognize the positive roles of dense stands of mixed coniferous trees, endemic insects and diseases, stand-replacing fires, snags and downed wood.

Often results in road construction or reconstruction.

Encourages the spread of noxious weeds through soil disturbance.

Forest health can be a measure of ecosystem integrity, which is a concern of ours. However, the concept of HRV, which has become the new best friend of the federal timber sale program, may not be the best way to restore forest health across the landscape. Efforts such as road closures, protection of roadless areas, stream restoration, reintroduction of fire and hand-pulling of weeds are more likely to be self-sustaining and economical ways of spending their time and our money. Marlene Renwyck Kettle Range Conservation Group, Republic, Wash.

Tell BNSF `No’, again

What part of no doesn’t BNSF understand?

In spite of two independent hearing examiners’ opinions recommending denial of BNSF conditional use permits for the Hauser site as a refueling depot, they’ve petitioned for another hearing by the three Kootenai County commissioners, to be held on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. and continuing Feb. 15 and 16 if necessary.

Ron Rankin’s courageous motion to deny the permits died without support from the other two commissioners. The public is 2-to-1 against the depot. What do the residents of Kootenai County have to lose by the denial of this location? Nothing!

In spite of the blustering by BNSF, there is another site available in Kootenai County which is off the porous part of the aquifer. While not ideal, it’s a compromise that would bring all the said benefits to the residents of Kootenai and reduce the risk to the aquifer.

This location is partially owned by BNSF, adjacent to the tracks. Friends of the Aquifer have attempted to facilitate a zoning and land purchase agreement, but BNSF has refused to negotiate.

It’s time to let the commissioners know that this is not an acceptable site and encourage them to deny the current permit, while working to move it to the Ramsey or Chilco Dry Channel site. This can be done, but not without the voices of all of us, whether we live in Kootenai County or Spokane.

Please plan to attend the hearings. Please write to the Kootenai County Commissioners, P.O. Box 9000, Coeur d’ Alene, ID 83816. Kristy Johnson Post Falls

Roads to fix our forests? C’mon!

I can say in two words why we so desperately need to protect our remaining roadless areas: forest health.

I mean real forest health, not the warped, tainted term that the timber industry and Forest Service use. The timber industry and corrupt members of the Forest Service have manipulated science and combined it with a good PR campaign to try to brainwash the public that our forests are sick, are about to go up in flames and need logging and roads to get better.

But let’s look at what’s going on here. Roads and logging to fix our forests? Hello? The Forest Service’s own studies show that most of the areas at high risk for wildfire are in roaded, logged areas. Their own studies show that fish populations are healthier in unroaded, unmanaged areas. And the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (a large-scale project that the Forest Service relies on for management decisions) notes that roadless areas are in better health than roaded, logged areas.

Those who wish to log and road build in the name of forest health ignore vital components of a forest. They only see the trees, but forest health means soil microorganisms; humus; dead, rotting plants; moss; lichen; molds; shrubs; plants; worms; and bugs.

It doesn’t make any sense to log and build roads in roadless areas for forest health, does it? Leave these places alone! Natalie Shapiro Moscow, Idaho

Preserve fresh water for future

Ah, yes, that marvelous aquifer - quite pure by most standards. Many of us have experienced those heavily chlorinated specimens offered up by municipalities tied to surface water sources. Ugh!

Why are we even thinking of gambling the most fundamental of all resources? If petroleum adulterates the precious commodity, even the toxicity of chlorine will be ineffective. Take one from the residents who recently surrounded the old Colbert landfill. Pollute it and you’re looking for another home.

Folks, our aquifer is better than having a savings account compounding at 20 percent in a Federal Reserve bank. As good water becomes scarce (and expensive) in other areas, guess where the brain trusts and other desirable offshoots of commerce are going to relocate? Those businesses our recruiters are salivating for now will beg to become a part of our communities.

Leave a precious gift to Spokane and Coeur d’Alene’s youths. Though we are separated by a state boundary, actually we are all one huge support group. Good water, yes. Prospects of pollution - well, it’s really a no brainer. Harry Merrick Chattaroy

Spokane matters

Holiday lights displays were great

I want to say a big thank you to all in Spokane and the Spokane area who had lighting displays during this Christmas season, from everyone who put the string of lights around the front window to the elaborate displays. I truly enjoyed each and every one. Even without the snow for the holidays the lights made all the difference. Thank you for sharing your holiday spirit with all of us. Peggie A. Boothe Spokane

Don’t blame snow piles on I-695

The state of snow removal in Spokane is abominable. Please don’t say that the roads aren’t plowed because of the passage of Initiative 695. This poor service has been going on for the more than seven years I’ve lived here.

Residential streets are not plowed until at least four inches of snow fall at once and, ultimately, become packed snow and ice. Even main roads are not plowed until who knows when. Recent small snowfalls have merited only de-icing materials. Main arterials often have piles of snow covering the center line.

If the snow was actually plowed when it snowed and deicer spread, it may be possible for the snow to melt away and for the roads to dry, instead of leaving black ice for the morning commute.

Spokane, get with it! I have lived in many Northern climes and have never found such poor maintenance anywhere. Let’s not blame this problem on a lack of funds or I-695 when it is, I believe, due to poor management. Where do our tax dollars go?

If the city of Spokane cannot even maintain our roads so that people are able to get to their destinations with a reasonable degree of safety (note the number of accidents we’ve had), then perhaps they should contract the job out privately to someone who can. Janice M. Moerschel Spokane

Politics

View life from middle-class shoes

Cut taxes, save Social Security, revise Medicare, reduce the debt, and balance the budget. These are sound bites from the politicians. Who is one to believe? What’s the best program one should support?

Whenever election time comes around, we’re bombarded from all sides with promises of solutions to our daily problems. Whom you listen to and which candidate you choose to support is very dependent upon your age and economic situation.

I’m retired and collecting Social Security and fall below the joint filing maximum income. We have no W-2 income and pay no tax to the government. A tax cut has absolutely no benefit to me. I’m sure this is true for many senior citizens.

Saving Social Security and revising Medicare would be much more beneficial to my wife and me. We are at the maximum amount we can collect from Social Security based on our income history. Making sure Social Security will continue at this amount for many years to come would be a great relief for us.

The greatest “tax relief” my wife and I could receive is to revise the Medicare program so it pays for at least 50 percent of my prescription medication. This would be a tremendous tax cut to me, as I’m sure it would be to many others on Medicare.

Unfortunately, we are subject to the constant political bantering from politicians whose only thought is to get elected and not do things for the good of their constituents. Perhaps politicians should walk in the shoes of middle-class society before they vote reforms. Robert F. Armstrong Spokane

Clear why big money backs

Bush Daily we read of the huge amounts of “soft” money being poured into the presidential races, especially Gov. George Bush’s.

A number of noted columnists have expressed concern as to this trend and the effect it’s having, especially as the imbalance between the rich and poor grows so drastically.

According to a national census report, the ranks of the poor have (since 1979) increased by 18 percent, while the rich got richer.

The number of families below the poverty line continues to grow. Workers earning less than $13,091 increased almost 20 percent, as the number of minimum wage jobs increased.

The Wall Street Journal in May of 1991 stated, “The government deficit was caused largely by a deep slash in federal higher income taxes in 1981, coupled with a huge jump in military spending (at the urging of President Reagan). Since then, both Reagan and President Bush were reluctant to embrace any deficit cutting measures, especially if they involved any tax increase.”

Plutarch said, in the first century, “An imbalance between the rich and the poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all to republics.”

A prominent member of Reagan’s administration, Kevin Phillips, admitted that the Republicans “do more to represent the wealthy than they do the middle and lower brackets.”

It doesn’t take a genius to realize why big money and big business are pouring huge funds into Bush’s campaign. They’ll know they’ll get a substantial return on every dollar they invest in Bush, and at the expense of the middle and lower income brackets. Andy Kelly Spokane

Discrimination in the millennium

Well! I got to see a Republican debate last week. What a treat!

The biggest of many squabbles turned out to be over gays in the military. Not over whether or not to discriminate, but on how to discriminate. Heaven forbid we apply bigotry the wrong way.

The worst discrimination was preached by Alan Keyes; you know, the only black candidate. He wants all military gays hunted down and discharged. My suggestion to the “honorable” and “moral” Keyes is, why stop there? Let’s discharge all blacks, too, just to even the field a little more. After that we can move on to any others who disturb us in any way. I propose a novel approach for the new millennium: genuinely equal rights and genuinely equal respect for all. In the case of the military, discipline or discharge the persecutors, not their victims, just as was done in past cases of discrimination against various groups of people. Bill Quinn Spokane

Other topics

Focus on life improvements

The latest targets of investigation and elimination attempts by Rev. Jesse Jackson and his rainbow group is the confederate flag on a public building in South Carolina, boycotting tourism in Georgia because of a Confederate Army symbol on their flag and the firing of black coach Ray Rhodes of the Green Bay Packers.

Intolerable slavery practices more than 135 years ago in the South is the reason for the first two removals. As a Packers fan, I think Rhodes was fired because he did a lousy job coaching a good team.

Maybe it’s time to form a coalition to rid this nation, because of atrocities of World War II, of sushi bars, German bakeries, Italian delis and Sony TVs. Should we also not wear cotton because of the once horrible plantations, and rid our streets of Toyotas, Hondas and Mercedes?

Maybe I will wear my red coat in the dark of night so I’m not aligned with the damn Brits of the Revolutionary war. We may also consider closing all Chinese restaurants because during the Korean War their pilots flew across the border in Russian Migs to kill our troops.

If we all were triggered by negative reminders of the past wrongs with things we see daily in this wonderful country we all would be lined up to see a psychiatrist.

As a person who deplores racism and strongly supports equality and human rights for all, Rev. Jackson should drop targeting people and antiquated symbols and move on to non-confrontational methods of improving lives for those who in his view have been disadvantaged. Jonathan Swanstrom Sr. Spokane

Parent-child bond mighty strong

Boston columnist Jeff Jacoby wants to ignore the parental rights of Elian Gonzalez’ father to save the boy from having to live in Cuba (Opinion, Jan. 16). I trust Jacoby will not argue in favor of family values in the future.

But why stop with one Cuban boy? There are a couple hundred million young Chinese children, a number about equal to the total U.S. population, growing up under a dictatorial regime in mainland China. Certainly we should rescue them, as well as children from a number of other countries.

I am sure also there are many American children who would benefit from having the courts take them away from their parents and give them to others better situated. Except that Supreme Court Justice Scalia said, “The child doesn’t belong to the court; it belongs to the parents.” (Spokesman-Review, Jan. 13)

When London was being bombed during the World War II blitz, the English moved many children into the safety of the countryside. But the children had more nightmares and fears there than when with their own parents facing the bombs. The parent-child bond is not to be taken lightly, especially for political or ideological reasons.

Let the father have Elian. Robert E. Forman Colville, Wash.