Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Opinion & Editorial

by Chris Linkenhoker, Hamilton

It is obvious that the growing air and water pollution problems in the Bitterroot Valley are quite serious, and that aggressive measures are now necessary to prevent a continuing degradation in both of those life-sustaining resources. However, what we see is an attempt to "massage" much of the data and spin the causes away from the growing conflict over land development, just as we have come to expect.

A clear example of this was provided after the Montana DEQ announced our serious air pollution problems in February, with clear statements that "over-development was the root cause of our failure to meet EPA small-particle air pollution standards," to "restrictions on woodstoves and outdoor burning" should be the focus of mitigation plans. Well, there are at least three serious problems with that most recent "spin" away from what should be a serious public health alert.

First of all, this air pollution problem has been serious in the Bitterroot Valley for many years and many people with asthma and other pulmonary issues are suffering greatly as a result. The EPA data shows an 18% increase in pollution-related mortality, meaning that statistically speaking, 18% of our population may be dying prematurely, every year. This should be the basis for immediate and urgent mitigation measures, including a halt to all new large-scale building construction (including Wal-Mart) and subdivision approval until the crisis is effectively dealt with. With every new subdivision comes a corresponding new source of air pollution, water pollution and global warming gases. The latter will undoubtedly become (soon) a major issue in every community across the United States, due to the failure of our Bush administration to even recognize it, so we might as well get used to it and take measures to do our part.

Because of the increasing ability of science to detect life-threatening but minute levels of synthetic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical waste (including nuclear), it is also clear that municipal sewer systems around the world are failing to filter out these substances, including our own systems here in the valley. Traditional sewer technology was never intended to deal with the vast array of new-age chemicals that many pour down sewers daily - they go straight to the lifeblood of this valley, the Bitterroot River. Multi-million dollar systems are required to produce clean water worthy of dumping back into our valley's natural water resources - another important reason for increased impact fees.

By refocusing air issues away from land development to wood stoves and outdoor burning, elected officials are attempting to once again require the existing inhabitants to make sacrifices in order to provide more room for the building industry in the 'Root. Thousands of 'Rooters depend on wood heat more than ever, as a result of the disastrous energy deregulation in Montana. Asking them to get rid of their woodstoves, in order to allow more development, is unreasonable and should be met with serious resistance from all of us.

The entire Bitterroot watershed has evolved in a natural fire environment over millennium. Our entire ecosystem is dependent on maintaining fire in both forest and non-forest land types and should never be restrained. If anything, prescribed burning needs to increase, exponentially. Removing fire as a land management tool will have disastrous results as natural fuels will continue to accumulate, raising the risk for catastrophic fire. Fire is ecologically essential to life in the 'Root, just as water and sunshine is to your garden of tomatoes and zucchini.

The issue of sustainability is critical to the debate over the future of the Bitterroot Valley. As with any ecosystem, there are limits to what our valley can withstand without a collapse of these life-sustaining systems. Because people are in fact suffering from this pollution, it's reasonable to assume that we have already exceeded those limits, but it can get worse, much worse. We have to learn to live with what nature has given us. This is not the current method of operation - the misplaced philosophy of unfettered growth is. Science can determine these limits in clearly understandable, mathematical standards. A cumulative effects analysis of our past and planned future, man-made intrusions is required and is one of the goals of both our national and state environmental laws (NEPA and MEPA, respectfully). Unfortunately, the development community has successfully gutted MEPA and is continually assaulting our constitutional rights to a healthy environment, in Helena. They know the stakes - millions of dollars for them, or a life-sustaining valley for us.

Join our efforts to protect your quality of life, including essential health and well-being today. Go to www.savethebitterroot.com and go to "Contacts." Or, engage with one of the many conservation groups in the valley. The list is encouraging.

Doing right thing isn't partisan

Dear Editor,

I found Matt Brainard's letter to the editor in the Bitterroot Star edition, Wednesday, April 4th, quite interesting. In my opinion his whole thesis about cross over candidates in this primary election is without merit. He alluded to the fact that Rick O'Brien, Chuck Stranahan and Steve Hall have been "conspicuously absent from organized Republican activities within the county." So what! Do you find it unreasonable, Matt, that these men could still support the cornerstone of the Republican philosophy – "limited government and free enterprise" – and still fight passionately to preserve the quality of life in the Bitterroot Valley? What is so wrong with bipartisanship when the stakes are high? Or is it: "Vote the Party line whether right or wrong?" Remember, with the free enterprise system first there comes responsibility. Freedom does not equate with "do anything you want no matter how it affects the other guy."

There are lots of people who are passionate about the stewardship of this precious land called the Bitterroot Valley, and that includes Republicans. I admire people who stand up for what they believe in and that includes Republicans who are free thinkers. These men were endorsed by organizations which are of like mind regarding the future of this county. To accuse these men of not agreeing with the philosophy of their party is unconscionable. That is, of course, if by this accusation you mean Republicans have no right to fight to preserve their environment because Republicans really don't care about it.

I don't happen to agree with this premise. I hope Republicans will stand tall in doing no matter what it takes to preserve the quality of life in our valley. This labeling has got to stop. You're way off base, Matt. You are doing a disservice to those Republicans who are exercising their right and duty to uphold and be true to their beliefs.

We all need to work together to preserve what we have. And if it means we have to work together in the spirit of bipartisanship, then so be it. This precious, beautiful valley is worth the effort.

Rachel Bartlett
Stevensville

What Ezekiel really says

Dear Editor,

First, I want to thank the Bitterroot Star for being the only local newspaper not to censor my description of Ezekiel 23:11-20 in my letter opposing Dallas Erickson's obscenity ordinance petition. We are truly fortunate to have an independent newspaper in our valley.

Second, after Jeri Elmore attacked my March 7 letter with her own letter on March 21, my initial instinct was to refute what she wrote, point-by-point. But after having a difficult time following her logic, I've decided to limit my response to her accusation that I was misleading people about the contents of Ezekiel.

To refresh everyone's memory, I had stated that "in Ezekiel 23:11-20 you can read about prostitution and men with penises the size of donkeys who ejaculate like horses."

Ms. Elmore responded by writing, "I have read the King James, the New International, and the New American Standard versions of the Holy Bible and nowhere does it use the exact wording you have used in Ezekiel 23."

Of course the Bible doesn't use my exact wording; I was summarizing the text, not quoting it!

Nevertheless, so no one questions my honesty, here's the exact wording of Ezekiel 23:20 from the New International Bible: "There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses."

If you look up "emission" in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, you will find "ejaculate" as one of the definitions. Furthermore, the word "prostitution" appears three times within verses 11-20.

More importantly, the purpose of my original letter was to point out that Dallas Erickson's obscenity ordinance would invade our private lives and even make illegal the exchange of "obscene" cell phone photos between consenting adults.

Apparently, Mr. Erickson now understands that his proposed ordinance is flawed. On March 21, he withdrew his petition to amend and resubmit at a later date.

Marty Essen
Victor

One more chance to change

Dear Editor,

Oh, my! Our leaders, I think that is what County Commissioners are supposed to do, have lurched, or is it launched, into another period of muddling. This muddle has a scary name like “Zoning!” About forty-five years ago gatherings called “Executive Retreats” were all the fashion on the West Coast. A bunch of executives spent a week on company time at a posh resort to listen to academics teach us how to be executives. I mention this because I learned from a professor with multiple doctorates what I already knew: you don’t create an executive by making the mistake of employing a person you admire, or has a military background, or goes to your church, or claims to be a member of a political party you favor, or is pushed in your face by a power broker. You hire or promote a future executive only after you have a comfortable expectation the person will perform as advertised.

In my opinion, we the people who trouble to vote have failed miserably after three chances hiring the present members of the County Commission. This has resulted in the ascendancy of extremes and office holders who cannot cope with the idea of leading. A plethora of desperate, concerned citizens have curdled under various bonnyclabbers like BFP Action and Bitterroot Democracy Watch. Then there is the most important act of desperate citizens, a five-member county commission. I am in favor of this action only to halt the “crash and burn” of county government. It was a huge disappointment to learn a civil court sitting in another County nullified the intent of the Ravalli County voters to have another chance to stop our out of control descent into more chaotic desperation by replacing the entire sitting Ravalli County Board of Commissioners. All that remains is to remediate our most recent monster misstep by firing the junior commissioner. I believe the only chance the voters have to do this is to elect the independent candidate that has come forward and will serve admirably.

The five-member County Board of Commissioners will have the opportunity to bring up the commission's present incompetence to the point of being able to cope with future challenges that are looming down the road. Consensus and accommodation will be essential as long as the new commissioners have the capability to lead. Majority rules.

Earl Pollard
Hamilton

Alternatives to military service

Dear Editor,

Attention, high school students who are considering the delayed entry program of the military (program for juniors and seniors to enlist before graduation from high school), be aware of five points before signing your contract:

1. If you are considering joining the military and a recruiter tells you it will be a 4-6 year commitment, it is an eight-year commitment.

2. The military is having trouble filling its combat quota for Iraq, so you may be offered unrealistic promises of money for school or a choice of careers and told you wont be sent to Iraq. Recruiters cannot make such promises. You will be sent where the military needs you.

3. If you are mentally or physically wounded during your military service you are not guaranteed adequate medical care when you come home.

4. Make sure everything your recruiter promises is in writing.

5. If you have already signed up for the delayed enlistment program and change your mind, you can get out of the contract.

There are alternatives to military service, such as Job Corps, Americorps, Conservation Corps and VISTA. You will earn a small stipend and gain job skills transferable to the civilian world. if you have questions or concerns, contact Just Don't Go Montana representatives who are veterans, teachers, parents and students: Jo Anne Thun, 449-7971; Steve Bowers, 457-9925; Cindy Burke, 459-1332; Felomina Garvin, 443-3359; Wayne Lewis, 449-1273.

Jo Anne Thun
Helena

Support for bridge access bill

Dear Editor,

To fully understand the rhetoric members of the Legislature are receiving against SB 78 (the good Bridge Access Bill) by the Stockgrowers and Farm Bureau, one needs to look at three Montana waterways, the Ruby River, the Smith River, and the Mitchell Slough (a tributary of the Bitterroot River).

All three of the waterways have super rich, new age streamside landowners who, according to their attorneys, have the right to limit public access or tweak existing rules and statutes. The Stockgrowers' attorney is involved in the Mitchell Slough and Ruby River litigation, and Kennedy's attorney is involved in the Smith River case and the Ruby River case. Kennedy, a multibillionaire, owns all or parts of 26 sections near the Smith River, including about seven mile of river front.

Needless to say, these two legal minds aren't working for peanuts, but both are confusing landowners and lawmakers by saying public access at bridges is an expansion of the Stream Access Law and that access at bridges is a "takings" of private property. This is false, because the history of accessing waterways at bridges is much older than either one of them and bridge access has been a traditional use that was acceptable to everyone except the new age landowners. These uses were backed up by an Attorney General's Ruling.

Kennedy is now suing an access group and Madison County over public access from two bridges on the Ruby River. This new legislation should convince lawmakers that any county with a stream going under a county bridge isn't safe from lawsuits filed by wealthy immigrants. We need a law such at SB 78.

Hopefully, Legislative House members can see through false rhetoric of these highly paid attorneys and pass SB 78. Their "yes" vote will ensure keeping a Montana heritage alive for tens of thousands of recreationists as well as maintaining one of the state's largest industries, Recreation & Tourism.

Tony Schoonen, President
Montana Coalition for Stream Access

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