Letters for Dec. 27, 2023
New forest plan needed
The new draft forest plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests in Idaho was recently released, and we all stand a lot to lose. The road-building and logging program will return to the 1980s, with annual logging levels reaching over 200 million board feet. Clear-cuts will exponentially grow in size, old growth will be wiped out, streamside buffers from logging will shrink, and measurable standards for water quality and fish habitat will be severely weakened.
Less than 20% of the roadless areas on the forests that qualifies for wilderness designation is being recommended for wilderness. These forests harbor some of our largest, intact roadless wildlands left in the lower 48. Places like the Great Burn are being turned over to snowmobilers and mountain bikers. Most of Meadow Creek is excluded, and all of Weitas Creek is omitted. Other areas will be vulnerable to future road building and logging.
The Biden administration needs to pull the plug on this new forest plan and start the process over. What good is the 30x30 initiative if our national forests are clear-cut and more carbon is released into the atmosphere?
Brett Haverstick
Missoula
Let’s reinvest in state’s colleges
Interesting that the people of Oregon are reining in climate change-related spending (“Oregon strikes down climate program,” Dec. 21) just as citizens of Washington are demanding answers to Gov. Inslee’s costly cap-and-trade program. Almost $1 billion is in the piggy bank from the program.
I have a modest solution : Let’s reinvest that money to help our struggling colleges.
Over the past decade some colleges have lost over 25% of their enrollment. Yes, the COVID-19 epidemic and school-debt horror stories did their damage. As The S-R reports, Eastern Washington University is bravely tackling the crisis; it’s facing draconian budget cuts to survive, as are other institutions here in the Evergreen State. These schools produce our leaders who can help this state craft solutions to our problems.
Gov. Inslee’s administration has spent billions to be a national leader in climate change and homelessness. There are some success stories there, although neither is “solved.” Like Oregon, voters here are questioning the unlimited funds showered on those issues. Let’s not be like the old generals, blindly fighting the last wars while even more ominous enemies appear.
Bill Lockhart
Cheney