Archive for Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Patrick Wayne Germond: Need to make some noise, voice opinions
June 18, 2008
Craig — To the editor:
It is good to hear our local government is working so hard behind the scenes.
However, we have to make our voices heard, too. The Web site for the Oil and Gas Commission is filled with environmentalist opinions. We need to make some noise to back up their efforts.
I do not represent anyone other than myself, nor do I work in the oil industry, so please listen to my story and heed my warning.
I lived in Washington state during the Spotted Owl timber shut downs and it devastated the state's economy. Later, I was living in the isolated town of Escalate, in southern Utah.
Robert Redford talked Bill Clinton into making it a national monument, shutting down its underground coal projects and taking grazing and hunting rights from people. These are people who needed both.
Give an environmentalist an inch and they will take half the state. The half that has the least amount of votes in it will do nicely.
If political appointees get to hold the oil companies hostage from behind a desk, we will all pay the price. Ranchers and other property owners will eventually lose rights and immediately have to make up the lost tax revenue.
If an oil company can drill year round in Montana why would they bother with Colorado? After all, dragons fetch the same price no matter which side of a line you pull them from and sell them on. One of the new regulations is a "90 day black out stack out" period for sage hens to do their "come and get me" dance.
Sounds reasonable on the surface, but it's not. The predators in the area are what really impact their population. Sage hens have disappeared in areas because of predator explosions, not drilling rigs.
Predators don't take 90 days off, either. Spotlight in their area for coyotes at night and the dancing chickens will make a giant comeback.
Sadly, this is about political power, or rather as it's being sold to us as just "potential political power."
Sooner or later, people with power always exercise its full potential, that's why they seek it. If the commission is telling the truth, and they rarely, if ever, plan to use this regulation, then they won't mind dropping it for now, and looking into it later if needed.
Let me quote Luke Schafer:
"We are trying to come to a point were wildlife, public health and the industry can all thrive together, and I think we can get there together."
Excuse me, we're not doing that now? What have our local officials failed in? None, wildlife could care less about a man at work. Us poor, bitter folks are protecting the environment just fine on our own.
The Oil and Gas Commission can be reached at (303) 894-2100, Gov. Ritter at (303) 866-2471, Deputy of Policy at (303) 866-5800, and Ken Salazar at (970) 241-6631. Also, look at the Web site www.oil-gas.state.co.us/RuleMaking.
Patrick Wayne Germond
18 June 2008
at 9:20 a.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
Pat is that you? you came down off the gonga wagon? nice to see your almost making sense. Keep working at it and people will take you seriosly. Now its not just the prairie chicken its also the prairie dog.
23 June 2008
at 10:56 a.m.
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artcromwell (Anonymous) says…
Huh?! Washington State's economy devastated by protecting old growth forests? That is some crazy stuff Mr. Germond is smoking if he thinks Washington suffered any long-term negative impacts from the Northwest Forest Plan. In fact, the effect has been just the opposite. Washington has one of the most resilient economies in the country because of its diversity. High-wage industries have been attracted to Washington in large part because of the state's natural amenities — like intact ecosystems. This would not have happened had the “poor, bitter folks” like Mr. Germond been allowed to continue to devastate our public forests. The old rape-and-pillage mentality of the last century is dying out. Time for folks that will actually care for creation to take over — not just pay it lip service.
23 June 2008
at 11:51 a.m.
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50cal (Anonymous) says…
Go into the land maintained by Weirhouser (spell check please) and you will see how one company managed to make a positive impact on the land while still maintaining their profits.
23 June 2008
at 3:41 p.m.
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grannyrett (Anonymous) says…
Go through British Columbia-Their forests are beautiful and logging is one of their biggest industries. I have never seen so many sawmills. They leave 20 feet of forest along the highways and build their sawmills behind the trees and you hardly see them. There is a way to have both.