PCBs editorial whiny

I was surprised at the direction The Spokesman-Review took (Jan. 22) addressing the complex and unfortunate presence of PCBs in the environment, specifically the Spokane River. The editorial sounded more like sour grapes from the Cowles Publishing Company using one of its shills for the dirty work.

What’s wrong, have the bullies at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Washington Department of Ecology been mean to you? Rather than using your newspaper to complain about money spent on PCBs, how about telling the public about the progress Inland Empire Paper Co. has made to eliminate PCBs? A comparison of the amount of PCBs being generated by the paper mill and others as opposed to the amounts from the fish hatchery would be interesting reading.

I think I detected a bait and switch in the editorial. The paper mill and others should aspire to total removal of PCBs, not what is required by regulation. It’s your social responsibility to do so rather than complain about unfair treatment. Then you can boast on the editorial page about the mill’s achievements.

Maybe there’s sufficient nutrient in newsprint to use the newspaper as fish food, but then it would be adding more to PCB levels.

Ray Duff

Mead