Letters for Aug. 6, 2023

No free lunch addressing climate change

Getting to all clean, renewable energy by midcentury, as required of Washington by the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act to address climate change, will not be without other environmental costs. Massive solar “farms” are anticipated and most would be on the Columbia Plateau in Eastern Washington. Unless there is thoughtful planning, there will be impacts to agriculture and wildlife habitat, including for species at risk like sage and sharp-tailed grouse and pygmy rabbits.

With solutions like solar presenting their own problems, there’s clearly no free lunch here. But WSU Energy Program’s recently released “Least-Conflict Solar Siting on the Columbia Plateau” report provides some data and tools that were developed with farmers, ranchers, tribes and conservation groups like Audubon. Those tools can inform where solar development may occur while also minimizing loss or damage to natural and working lands from solar project development.

Hopefully this information, and other ideas like solar panels on big-box-store rooftops and over parking lots, will be used by local, state and tribal leaders who permit utility-scale solar energy development. Our future need not be a choice between saving the planet from climate change and having sustainable agriculture and wildlife.

Madonna Luers

Spokane Audubon Society

Spokane

History and land acknowledgements

What can you say about a city commission or a City Council indifferent to facts?

In March 2021, the Spokane City Council approved a land acknowledgment statement to “improve relations” with the Spokane Indian Tribe. It begins: “We acknowledge that we are on the unceded land of the Spokane people …”

That is a good start to improve relations, except it is not true.

Do not get me wrong, Indigenous peoples deserve this acknowledgment. They do not deserve claims to past injustice not already in our law. I make no apologies to any group.

On March 18, 1877, at Spokane Falls, 90 Native Americans representing the Upper and Middle Spokane Tribes signed an agreement (ratified by Congress) to relocate. The very first Article states:

“The aforesaid bands of Spokane Indians hereby cede to the United States all right, title, and claim which they now have, or ever had, to any and all lands outside the Indian reservations in Washington and Idaho Territories, and they hereby agree to remove and settle upon the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in the Territory of Idaho.”

Yet – the council acknowledgment states “unceded” land – not true.

If the council and Human Rights Commission continue this deceit, what else will they do when it comes to the history of the Monaghan Statute to accomplish its removal?

Two recommendations – change the character of the City Council and change the land acknowledgment to be truthful. We need a diligent council and deserve the latter.

Warren Walker

Spokane

The community can cure hate

In July 1924, my grandfather Jim Perkins, member of the Sin Aikst/Arrow Lakes Band, Colville Tribe, and World War I combat veteran from Kelley Hill, witnessed the local KKK burn a cross on the north hill of Colville. The KKK was attempting to make a comeback in the early 1920s. My grandfather was shocked and after participating in some of the bloodiest battles in France in 1917-1918, came home and became an American citizen in 1924.

In 1992, our group, the Upper Columbia Human Rights Coalition, invited Tony Stewart, of the Kootenai County Human Rights Task Force, to the Fort Colville Grange to give a community presentation due to Justin Dwyer and Chevie Kehoe recruiting for Richard Butler in our city park. A year later, Justin Dwyer of the Aryan Nation of Washington State was quoted in the Seattle Times giving credit to the UCHRC for bringing together over 300 people at the grange. He and Elizabeth Bullis decided to pack up their bags and move to greener pastures.

I very much appreciated Emma Epperly’s article, “Hate wants hate back.” I especially appreciated Luke Emerson’s quote, a military veteran, “I think Coeur d’Alene and North Idaho residents started realizing if we don’t stand up, this is the future.”

James Gordon Perkins

Upper Columbia Human Rights Coalition

Colville

Destroying monuments promotes more hate

A recent article (“Monuments getting second look as concerns over tribal perspectives mount”) references the Washington Stake Historical Society and their review of monuments and historical markers statewide as part of the Dialogue in Place project. Its stated purpose is to review each monument for “historical accuracy and inclusion of tribal perspective” plus evaluating their present physical condition. The project received a $142,000 grant to gather input from “tribes and local communities.” The project grew out of the commitment of the Washington State Historical Society in “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (Note: Not equality, but equity).

I, as a part of the “local community,” would like to make this proposal:

Do not destroy any of the monuments/markers. When they were put in place, they were put there with the thoughts and ideas of part of that community of that day and time. Destroying them will destroy historical perspective.

Instead, erect alongside them another marker which explains, in detail, why erecting an additional marker was thought necessary. If there are historical inaccuracies on the older marker, then note that. And, also, note why the errors were made, or at least what might have been in the thoughts of those who erected them. (If the original monuments/markers are destroyed, then it will take away from the learning experience of reading/studying the contrasting points of view.)

To me, destroying the older monuments and markers is as much an act of hate and bigotry as the original point of view. And, it does not reflect either equity or equality.

William R. Smith

Spokane

Yellow lawns are not the answer

I agree water restrictions are needed but yellow lawns are not the answer. I see the city has decided to let some properties yellow. This is a huge mistake. Reduce your water usage in other ways. Come up with yard size that your allowed to keep green.

Here are some facts: Every acre of grass will supply enough oxygen for 64 people a day. It may be that turf contributes to our air quality more than any other plant including trees. An average golf course will produce enough oxygen to support 4,000 to 7,000 people.

Please be smart about water usage.

Mike Looper

Spokane Valley

Two suggestions for South Hill development

I think the city should consider the field directly east of the Moran Bus Depot (across from the new Dairy Queen) for a dog park. The field has an asphalt path leading to it, services could be brought in from the bus depot, and the depot parking lot, which is never full, could be shared with dog owners.

The second suggestion is to convert the Shopko into a hotel. There is greater need for a hotel on the South Hill with the increase in high-density housing units. There is a space beside the store that could house a residential tower, and the store could house the administrative offices, a pool, a banquet room, an exercise facility and a casual dining restaurant.

Mark Altmar

Spokane

What’s that smell?

Apparently, the ongoing Congressional investigation into the increasing likelihood pointing to knowledge of, and participation in, numerous grifting schemes involving the sitting U.S. president does not pass muster in Rob Curley’s newsroom. Wake up and smell the coffee, Mr. Cowles.

William Baxley

Spokane

Spokane will not elect a progressive trifecta

I appreciate that Spokane’s mayor and City Council are not elected as members of political parties. If nothing else, this serves to at least provide a goal to which our public servants should aspire.

This is why I am deeply troubled to learn that Betsy Wilkerson running for Spokane council president and Paul Dillon running for City Council have sent out letters asking people to pay for their plans to “create Spokane’s first-ever progressive trifecta.”

Wilkerson describes her trifecta goal as to “pass our policies in full force.” Both candidates list their trifecta as Lisa Brown, mayor; Wilkerson, council president; and Dillon on a “progressive” council supermajority.

Rather than running on a platform that brings various viewpoints to the table, these candidates are speaking like tyrants. As the old saying goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I would not support a trifecta of any political persuasion. Our country was founded to escape tyranny.

The Spokane that I know will roundly reject this wrong approach. We will not elect-a-trifecta or give policymaking power to those who would pursue any such approach.

J. Kent Adams

Spokane