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A Paper for People who Care about the West ------((

Will 1990 bring a greener West?

_~ __ hy Steve Hinchman to purchase new state parks, green belts lenge from Republican Lt, Gov. Allen Kol- er posts have gained momentum in oppos- and open spaces. stad, a Republican win would probably tip ing the Waste Isolation Pilot Project nuclear As a testament to the power of the the scales against wilderness. repository proposed for Carlsbad. Nevada's new environmental awareness, politi- But in Colorado and Idaho, wilderness Democrats, who have led the fight against A growing grassroots con- cians who never seemed to care before will benefit no matter who wins. Senior the proposed high-level nuclear dump at cern for the environment is driving the now give lip service to environmental Republican Sens. William Armstrong and Yucca Mountain, seek to retain their hold West's 1990 elections. With a decidedly causes. And many others have scrambled James McClure, long known for their on the governor's mansion. greener electorate and more environmen- to cover poor environmental voting hard-line, anti-wildernessstances, are both One of the most interesting races is tal initiatives on the ballot, Western records. retiring. Their likely successors, Rep. Hank: in southeastern Utah, the traditional politicians are being forced to react. The exception is in the Northwest, Brown, R-Colo., and Rep. Larry Craig, R- stronghold of the Sagebrush Rebellion. Many are espousing _environmental where fights over old-growth forests and Idaho, are far more moderate, The depar- Six Native Americans have made a daring sensitivity and balanced economic devel- timber harvesting have spawned ardently ture of Armstrong and .McClure will bid on Ihe Democratic ticket to capture all opment ill'lhe wake of Ihe 20th anniversary anti-environmental, pro-development tick- change the balance of power for the West of San Juan County's elected positions. A ' ets. But even there, the heated, informed .in Congress. The Republicans will espe- victory would make San Juan the first State-by-state debate marks a maturation of the environ- cially miss McClure's powerful presence Indian-controlled county in Utah. pre-election coverage ment as one of the West's inescapable as the ranking Republican on the Appro- The only environmental black hole is bread-and-butter campaign issues. priations Interior subcommittee and the in empty, economically, depressed begins on page 10 The movement in the West appears . Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Wyoming. Republican Sen. AI Simpson to be independent of, and even ahead of, In the Northwest, old growth is the and both gubernatorial candidates are of Earth Day. Using waterfalls, wild rivers national politics. The Bush presidency, pivotal issue. Two Oregon Democratic pushing strong pro-energy platforms, hop- and wildlife as backdrops for their adver- foundering over the budget-deficit and candidates - secretary of state Barbara ing to capitalize on the new energy crisis tisements, cowboy-hatted politicians are distracted by the Persian Gulf crisis, has Roberts for governor and millionaire and bring the boom back to Wyoming. jockeying to appear in a favorable green offered Republicans no leadership on the businessman Harry Lonsdale for U.S. The new Issues on the ballot are light, But others are painting their oppo- environment. Nor are local Democrats Senate - are hoping to break the odds almost all in the form of initiatives. nents as environmental extremists to make following a green party line from their and ride into office on a wave of discon- Washington state environmentalists have their own positions look more moderate. party headquarters in Washington, D.C .. tent over federal timber-cutting policies. proposed statewide planning to control Admittedly, much of the green cam- Instead, the agenda is home-grown. If Lonsdale wins, he would lake out Sen. urban sprawl. In Oregon activists are paigning is little more than standard Fierce local pressures are forcing POliti- Mark Hatfield, a senior Republican and again trying to shut down a nuclear election-year rhetoric. But nearly every cians of all stripes to address the difficult one of the timber industry's greatest power plant and control excess plastic Western state has a major race that will environmental issues. allies in Washington. packaging. Arizona and South Dakota turn on a pivotal environmental question, Nevertheless, Democratic candidates On the other hand, Washi.ngton's have proposals to regulate solid- and such as wilderness, old growth, nuclear are far greener than their Republican coun- Democratic Rep. Jolene Unsoeld is fighting hazardous-waste landfills, and Nevada waste or energy policy. terparts. Take the wilderness issue. In a desperate battle against Republican state and Arizona voters will decide whether On issues too' hot for politicians to three key races - the Senate contests in Sen. Bob Williams to keep her .seat in or not to spend millions of dollars on touch, citizen activists have put nine Montana and Colorado and the fight for WashingtOn's heavily forested southwestern new parks and wildlife habitat. green initiatives on the ballot in five northern Idaho's Congressional seat - district, Williams has attacked Unsoeld's For the West, this November's elec- states. Their targets are rapid urban Democrats favor more and stronger protec- support for reducing timber harvests, tion is not only greener. It also is a grass- growth, hazardous waste and large land- tion of wild lands, while the Republicans In New Mexico and Nevada, the roots demonstration of political concern fills, nuclear power plants and surface are pushing to open more acreage to devel- hottest issue is nuclear waste. The Demo- that has the politicians on the run. mining. These initiatives could also opment. In Montana, where Democratic cratic candidates for New Mexico's gover- provid; millions of dollars in new taxes Sen. Max Banens is facing a tough cha!- IKr, attorney general and land commission- •

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2 <> - Higb Country! News - OCtober 22,19~'90i.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~•• Dear friends,

new fall intern, Beth Jacobi, began the San Juan and Uncompahgre national Oct I after a season of instructing for Col- forests. The visiting Jarrett is the deputy orado Outward Bound's river program. editor's mother. Beth is from Choctaw, Okla., but bas grown A few days later Andy Nettell, a U.S. attached 10 the West after spending the past park ranger, dropped in from Moab, Utah, five summers working in Colorado and where he works for Canyonlands National Utah. In 1986 she was a volunteer BLM Park. Andy said his job was "fantastic, river ranger on the Arkansas River in Col- when they pay us," He decided to see the . 01300. Having discovered the joy of run- Black Canyon of the Gunnison River and ning rivers, she worked four seasons as a soak in Glenwood Springs' hot waters guide for Dvorak's Expeditions. Beth's during his unpaid forced holiday. degree from Oklahoma State University is Russ Sylvain, a subscriber and TV Beth Jacobi in wildlife ecology and communications. news director from Colorado Springs, and corners. We didn't see anything, but came to Paonia 10 visit his sister Diane. a tinderbox like a newspaper office is not Correction Driving over Kebler Pass, they saw the to be trifled with. Gretchen called the most beautiful golden aspen they'd ever mGH COUNTRY NEWS fire department. Heralded by screaming Billings, Mont, correspondent seen in Colorado, Diane said. She added (ISSN/0191/S657) Is publlshed biweek- sirens, they appeared at our door in two Patrick Dawson reported that 569 bison that she's been experimenting with pas- ly, except for one issue during July minutes - with hoses and hatchets mer- were gunned down two winters ago in tels for years to capture the colors of and one issue during January, by the cifully sheathed, since we had the whole Yellowstone National Park (HeN, aspen bark. High Country Foundation, 124 Grand issue all laid outnicely on the light table. Avenue, Paonia, CO81428. Second- 10/8/90). Our computer recorded only When Boulder resident John Jaycox Half a dozen volunteer firemen crowded class postage paid at Paonia, Col- 56 in the modem transmission over the. isn't building boats, he paddles them. He into our "kitchen" (about 3x5 feet) and orado. telephone. What happened to the other was on his way back from a trip down the sniffed with us. One of them suggested POSTMASTER: Send address changes 513? Only your long-distance telephone Grand Canyon when he stopped by 10 say to HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, Box 1090, that our fire was just the reek of garlic carrier knows for sure. hi. He and some friends paddled the 292 Paonia, CO 81428. from somebody's microwaved lunch, but miles in a mere eight days, spurred on by Subscriptions are $24 per year for then came a holler from the production Visitors the fact they had 10 carry all their supplies individuals and public libraries, $34 room, where a lone fireman, following a in their kayaks. per year for institutions. Single copies lead of his own, had detected an over- $1 plus postage and handling. Special Mary Louise Jarrett, a new reader heated ballast (strange nautical term) in a Issues $3 each, . from Alexandria, Va., drove down to Fire! fluorescent ceiling light. Within half an Mesa Verde with us the weekend of the hour, an electrician had fixed it. 'Thus federal budget crunch, only 10 be barred We had an impromptu fire drill last TomBeD ended the big fire scare of October 1990. Edilor EMerltu& from entry. She was a good sport about week after staff-bloodhounds back in the it, and focussed instead on the beauty of Ed Marston and Betsy Marston production room smelled smoke. Every- Publhber mul EIUIorOfll..m:lw snowcapped mountains and the glorious body sprang to his or her feet and fanned -Larry Mosher and Mary Jarrett "San Juan Skyway" that winds through out, sniffing at all suspicious appliances tawrence Mosher for the staff EdUor I

Mary Jarrett Depuzy EilUor STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND, CIRCULATION Unda Bacigalupi NOTICE' A.s.sodale PNh/Uber COWRADO RIPARIANS MEET (Required by 39 U.S.c. 3685) , The Colorado Riparian Association will L Title of publication, High Country News. " hold a two-day conference titled_"Keeping UsaJones - 2. Date of filing, October t, 1990. Staff1Vrller the Green- Li~e Green," Nov. 8-9 in 'Gle;n- 3. Frequency of issue, Bi-Weekly. wood Springs, Colo. ·The conference will A. No. of issues published annually, 24 B/. Annual subscription price. $24:00/ examine livestock and big-game conflicts in_ - $34.00 riparian areas; water use by riparian vegeta- 4. Location of known office of publica- C.L Rawlins . tion; riparian areas in urban settings; and tion, 124 Grand Ave. (Box 1090), Poetry Ed:hor Paonia, CO 81428. integrating grazing and restoration tech- 5. Location of headquarters of general Diane Sylvain , niques. Current research and successful, business offices of the publishers, ProdNCtlmf/GrAPhblCatter-spre.4 DesigN riparian management methods will also be 124 Grand Ave., Paonia, CO 81428. 6. Names and addresses of publisher and Clndy Weh1lng discussed. The association, whose officers editors: Edwin H. Marston, publisher. Deslllop PublUbI_g- include representatives from the Bureau of Elizabeth A. Marston, editor, BIRDS OF PREY CLASS Land Management, the Colorado Cattle- Lawrence Mosher, managing editor, all at Box 1090, Paonia, CO 81428. Hawks, owls, eagles and falcons will be men's Association, the Environmental Pro- 7. Owner: High Country Foundation, Kay Henry Bartlett the topic of classes given by the Colorado tection Agency and The Nature Conservan- Box 1090, Paonia, CO 81428. an::ul4ltlofflBooI!Mepi"ll Division of Wildlife and the Rocky Moun- cy, focuses on maintaining wetlands while 8. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or tain Raptor Program on Nov. 3~ 10 and 17. Gretchen Nkholoff getting maximum productivity from the land. holding 1 (one) percent or more of ClaJre Moore-MuniD During the Nov. 3 and 10 sessions, director The conference registration fee. which does total amount of bonds, mortgages or BNs..... of the Raptor Program Judy Scherpelz will not include lodging, is $15 for members and other securities: None. 9. Extent and nature of circulation: discuss environmental issues, anatomy arid UsaRathkc $20 for non-members. For a registration Avg. # Actua1# Diane Grauer physiology, courtship and breeding, migra- form or more information write to: Colorado Each This Beth}acobl issue issue I...... tion, behavior and identification of birds of Riparian Association, 134 Union Blvd., A. Total # copies printed 10,530 9,700 prey. The Nov. 17 session will be a local Tom"BeII.u ..... Wyo. Suite 125, Lakewood, CO 80228. B. Paid circulation Lynn Dlc... y,Sb_1JYo. field trip from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Students 1~ Dealer/counter sales 140' 156 Mail subscriptions judy Donald, W48lrl"gIott, D.C will look for birds and learn to identify them. 2. 8,629 9,334 Mkhael Ehlen.lJotIJIler, Colo. C. Total paid circulation 8,769 9,490 Classes are being held at the Division of Jeff Fereday, Bol&f!, l44bo ENVIRONMENFAL EDUCKIION SUMMrr D. Free distribution- 1,620 135 ..... FI...... ut,A.opn, a.h Wildlife's Nonheast Regional Office in Fort samples Robert Redford, EPA Administrator TomFrance.Mu~ MtnIt. Collins, Colo. A fee of $40 for the three ses- E. Total distribution 10,389 9,625 KariJ Frob bcese, _~. uw. William Reilly, Sen. Timothy E. Wirth, D- (C&D) sions will benefit the Rocky Mountain Rap- saJIy GorWn,rr.,u.." IJYo. Colo., and other guests will speak at an envi- F. Copies not distributed BID "!Odden. MOdb, l.lWI tor Program. To register, call the Division of 1. Office use, left over 137 75 Dan Luecke, BouId-, a.h ronmental education summit to be held Oct. Wildlife at 303/484-2836. 2. Returns from news agents 4 Lyndas. T.ylor.~ NoM. 26 and 27 at the Sheraton Denver Tech Cen- G. Total (E & F) . 10,530 9,700 Herman -.vsh,E_ ...... Mowt. ter in Denver, Colo. The conference, titled Andy 'WIeuner.~ Colo. WATER MARKETING I certify that the statements made by me Susan A. WllUams, PhondJt. Arl:". "Earth Day to Earth Decade: From Dreams are correct and complete. IJoorJ of "'-tors As water marketing transactions become to Action," will give businesses, educators, Linda Bacigalupi, Associate Publisher more involved, complex legal, political. eco- ArtJcIes appearlnll In High CoN..,.". News ~ government agencies, nonprofit organiza- nomic and public policy issues are surfacing. Published in High Country News Oct. 22, 1990. Indexed In E~ PerlodIctds BIb~ tions and individuals a chance to discuss pby, Environmental StudIes Instlnae, 800 Garden On Nov. 15 and 16, the Uniwersity of Denver St., SuIte D. santa Barblra. CA93101. development of community environmental is presenting "Water Marketing 1990: Mov- AUrights to publkatJon. of articles In this Issue plans. Representatj.ves from Colorado com~ -are reserved.. Write for permission to print any ing from Theory to Practice," its fifth annual munities and businesses such as Procter & articles or Illustrations. Contrlbutlons (manu- conference on the marketing and transfer of scripts, photos, artWork) will be welcomed with Gamble, King Soopers imd McDonald's that water rights. The conference will cover law- the llndentandlng that the aIlto" cannot be held have successfully incorporated environmen- responsible for loss or damage. EncloSe a self- of-the-river topics, Indian water rights, the aM:ressed stamped ~cJopc with all lUHOUdted tal values will lead sessions. Denver Mayor local permit process and federal contract submissions to ensun;: return. Ankles and Jette" Federico Pena, actor Dennis Weaver and will be edited and pubUshed at the discretion of renewals. Registration. including course theediton. author John Naisbitt will also speak. The materials, is $340; $250 for nonprofit orga- Advenlslog Informatlon is available upon Colorado Alliance for Environmental Educa- request. To have a sample copy sent to a friend, nizations. For more information contact the tion and the state's Deparunent of Education send us his or her addreS5. Write to Box 1090, Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, Uni- Paonia, CO 81428. can High Cou",'7 News In are co-sponsoring the event. Registration fee Colorado at 3031527-4898. versity of Denver, 7039 E. 18th Ave., Den- for the- two-day conference is ._$85. For more ver, CO 80220, or call303/871-6118. infonnation calI303n79-1100, ext. 50. ...F- t:rtTSE! \II

High ·Country News - OCtober 22, 1990 - 3

Congress compensates uranium miners

Victims of radiation from nuclear weapons testing and uranium mining in the Western states will be compensated by the federal government. Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compen- sation Act last month, and President Bush signed it Oct. 15. The bill offers money as well as an apology to those affected by radon gas. Sponsored by Rep. Wayne Owens, D-Utah, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the measure will give uranium miners or their families $100,000 each, The Denver Post reports. The downwinders, or those exposed to fallout from open-air bomb testing, will receive $50,000 each. From 300 to 500 miners and from 600 to 1,100 downwinders are expected to qualify for payments that cover a list of Chuck. Bigger radiation-related illness, primarily can- The Arkansas River streamflow was down to nothing this September in Garden City, Kansas cer: The cancer death rate among early uranium miners in the West is now five Kansas sues over dried-up Arkansas River times higher than the expected rate among a comparable group of Ameri- Has Colorado been stealing water Stephan. "It was just done in total disre- Randy Seaholm, a senior water resource cans. The miners worked in Utah, New from Kansas? Kansas thinks so, and is gard for Kansas's rights." specialist for the Colorado Water Conserva- Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and suing Colorado to retrieve some 3 billion In response, Colorado points to tion Board. The measurement is,taken just Wyoming. gallons of Arkansas River water and as recent dry years as part of the reason for below the Pueblo reservoir in Colorado. much as $100 million in damages. lower flows into Kansas. Colorado offi- Seaholm also disclosed that the river's aver- The two states bave been wrangling cials also question whether wells in Col- age flow drops to 81,140 acre-feet at Lamar, over the Arkansas River since the tum of orado have had as much effect on the 120 miles downstream from the Pueblo the century. In -1949 Congress approved river flows as Kansas. alleges. reservoir and just a few miles downstream ' a, compact that gave Colorado 60 percent Many water rights adjudicated along from the John Martin reservoir. of the river flow and 40 percent to, the river by Colorado courts could be ren- This suggests that most of the Kansas. The apportionment is made just dered moot by a Kansas victory. Colorado river's water - 85 percent- is current- below the John Martin reservoir in Col- Springs, which won one of the largest water ly diverted for Colorado use before orado, the upstream state. excharige decrees in state history in 1987, is Kansas's entitlement can be calculated The case, which is being heard by especially vulnerable. The city would like under the compact formula. federal water master Arthur Littleworth to build another dam on the Arkansas, and One. measure of Arkansas River use in Pasadena, Calif., promises to become a has already paid for a feasibility stndy. is evident, 'Earlier this year Colorado duel between expert witnesses. Kansas The lawsuit also could affect water officials closed the Royal Gorge, which will argue that Colorado is wrongly hold- imported from Colorado's Western is near Canon City, to rafting because of ing water in the John Martin and Trinidad Slope. Colorado Springs now contributes too much water. Three months later and reservoirs, and that it allowed too many thousands of acre-feet of water to the 300 miles downstream at Garden City, Scott Matheson wells to be drilled. Colorado will argue Arkansas River Basin that is delivered Kan., the 'river had disappeared. that Kansas has known about Colorado's by pipeline from the western side of the The case is expected to extend into Matheson's death linked water storage program for years, and that Continental Divide. "Everything that is a 199J. In an unusual move, the Colorado to nuclearfallout Kansans also bave depleted groundwater source of water in the Arkansas could be Legislature has appropriated $2.4 million . on their side of the state liine. relevant," Stephan said. to defend the state. Kansas has already Former Utah Gov. Scott Matheson "I don't think this is accidental," The Arkansas River's average annual spent a similar amount. died early this month of multiple myelo- says Kansas Attorney General Bob flow is 543,400 acre-feet, according to - Barry Noreen. ma, a cancer of the blood-producing bone marrow that can be caused by exposure to radiation, He was 61. His AWDI now admits San Luis water damage son, Scott Matheson Jr., told The Den- ver Post that he fmds it a "cruel irony" SAN LUIS VALLEY, Colo. - A face waters by purchasing local farms along with the State Engineer, the that his father died from a disease rec- proposal to pump hundreds of thousands and ranches, drying up their fields and Bureau of Reclamation.jhe U.S. Fish ognized by Congress in a radiation vic- of acre-feet of groundwater in this poor, letting their irrigation water remain in and Wildlife Service, which oversees tims' compensation bill passed just rural valley has been amended to protect the streams for other users. two refuges in the valley, and the Nation-, weeks ago. As governor, Matheson bat- local irrigators, but opposition to the pro- At a Sept. 7 hearing on the amend- al Park Service, which manages the tled the federal government to conduct ject still remains strong. ment, however,the company refused to Great Sand Dunes National Monument. studies on fallout, and. his efforts helped In 1986 American Water Develop- commit itself legally to those mitigations Everyone fears that the deep pumping pave the way for passage of the radia- ment Inc. (AWDI) proposed to pump and compensations. will dry up the valley. tion-compensation bill. Although the 200,000 acre-feet a year and divert AWDI also promises to get involved The sand dunes abut the company's younger Matheson admits that it is 60,000 acre-feet of that to cities on the in local economic development, and has 100,OOO-acre Luis Maria Baca ranch at impossible to say anything conclusive Front Range (HeN, 11/6/89). Last already entered a joint venture with a the eastern end of the valley next to the about the link between his father's death August AWDI filed an amendment to the group of primarily Hispanic people Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Adams and the open-air testing, he notes that plan in water court that for the first time around the town of Center. The company State College geologist Dion Stewart his family lived less than 300 miles recognizes potential injuries to other will lease farmlands and water to a co-op says the Baca ranch project would lower from the Nevada Test Site during the water users. The amendment calls for a of 100 families and give them money and the water table under the sand dunes by heaviest years of testing. From 1977 to phased approach. Phase One will involve 200 head of cattle to set up operations. 215 feet. This would cause the duries to 1985, while serving two terms as Utah's pumping just 60,000 acre-feet per year, A full-page ad in a local newspaper, all but disappear, he fears. The college is governor,' Matheson successfully with half of that going to the Front however, listed 120 local citizens and now investigating the dunes' geology. opposed .placement of the MX missile Range. That level of pumping would businesses in and around Center who William Paddock, an attorney repre- system in the state's western desert, affect about 225 of the 6,000 water wells oppose the project. senting irrigators who farm half the val- fought to continue funding of the mas- in the valley, AWDI now admits. The company has asked the Alam- ley's cultivated acreage, said AWDI's sive Central Utah Project, opposed a The company plans to mitigate the osa water court to enforce these plans by second phase could cause gross harm to nuclear waste repository near Canyon- problem by reimbursing people for not allowing Phase Two to begin until water users. "AWDI says' its water will lands National Park and won high marks increased pumping costs. For wells the mitigations are completed. Phase come from salvaged evapotranspiration," for decisive action when parts of the drawn down more than five feet, the Two would increase pumping to 200,000 Paddock said. "That means dried-up state were devastated by flooding in company would reimburse both pumping feet and would impact "less than 500 lakes, dried-up wetlands and dead 1983. Gov. Norm Bangerter said, "I costs and the costs of digging deeper wells,' said an AWOl spokesperson. The plants." always found he was a man true to his wells. Additional mitigations proposed company has reserved the right to claim - Gary Sprung word. In my view he had complete by AWDI include a promise that no still more water in the future. Gary. Sprung, a correspondent for integrity. Scott Matheson never let poli- , water would be sold to people outside The valley's farmers, towns and U'S, Waler News, is based in Crested tics get in the way of doing what was Colorado, and an augmentation of sur- counties continue to op~se the proposal, Butte, Colorado. - right for the people of Utah." , 4-Higb CountryNews-OCtober22, 199Q • Confusion marks Idah # uming policy

In Idaho Falls, residentsfumed over Tiffany's fine had nothing to do with the The American Falls controversy is the idea of an incinerator burning can- state's decision to turn down the inciner- flavored by parochialism. The $3.8 mil- cer-causing PCBs and dioxins in a sal- ator permit. Ledger said the state was lion project would get the majority of its vage yard on the south endof town. responding to technicalcriticisms. wastes from California and the Pacific In American Falls, locals have done '''The hearing process did just what Northwest. a slow burn over an incinerator that it was supposed to do - provide us with Despite public opposition, the Air would destroy medical waste - body as much information as possible on the Quality Bureau granted Enviro Health's parts, syringes and gloves - on a site draft permit," he said. permit, but mandated that Enviro Health along the Snake River less than a mile In American Falls, developers of a install a computer system with the burn- froman elementary school. technical grounds. He said the burner regional medical waste incinerator hit an er that will allow the state to monitor The incinerator issue has come to couldn't possiblymeet a state "residence unexpected firestorm of opposition. emissions at any time. Developers say eastern Idaho (HeN, 9/24/90). In Iune, time" regulation requiring that haz- Originally, AmericanFalls city officials this will add about $700,000 to the cost the state reversed an earlier recommen- ardous wastes remain.in a burner for courted the incinerator,which may bring of the project. dation and turned down a PCB'incinera- only twoseconds to be destroyed. 60 jobs ---,-and50 tons of waste per day , "This is a very strict permit, and the tor proposed by Tiffany Metals, an Tiffany Metals owner Fred Tiffany - to the small rural community. The design is state-of-the-art," Ledger said. Idaho Falls salvage yard. Four weeks has said lune about his proposal. During officials steered Enviro Health Inc., of Opponents have appealed the state later, the state granted a permit for a a two-hour public hearing in Idaho Falls Pocatello, to a site southwest of town, permit. Enviro Health, meanwhile, is medicalincinerator in AmericanFalls. in March, Tiffany sat in the last row of guaranteeing that the finn would get the considering moving its incinerator to "They're just different animals," the hearing room and did not testify. local permits it needed. Bancroft, Idaho, a small city about 100 explainsJohn Ledger, headof the state's Afterward, he said resistance to his pro- "Had we not been invited there, we miles southeast of AmericanFalls. Air Quality Bureau. ject would le:eephim from handling wouldn't have even considered it," But Aug. 13, Gov. Cecil Andrus, a The Tiffany Metals incinerator was wastes more safely. "It only keeps the Enviro Health president Jack Woods Democrat, issued a moratorium on all designed to burn electrical transformers good old bad ways in operation," he said. "Our intentions weren't to go new medical-waste incinerator permits, to recover iron and copper. In the pro-, said. somewhere wherewe weren't wanted." to allow the state Legislature to look at cess, the incinerator was expected to Tiffany has had a combative rela- But after this - and a shakeup in incinerator-siting issues during its 1991, release less than one ounceof PCBs and tionship with city and state regulators. American Falls' city government - the ..session. "The impact of these facilities a small amount of moxinper year.. In October 1988, while investigating a tide turned againstEnviro Health. is of statewide concern." he said. "I Originally, the Air Quality Bureau fire at Tiffany Metals, the Idaho Falls "They were surprised when they believe we must have the opportunity to proposed to allow the project, saying the Fife Deparunentfound that some electri- found the opposition to them," said address the issue of where and under burner "will not injure or unreasonably cal components had been burned in a Wayne Egan, the town's mayor since what circumstances these incinerators affect human or animal life or vegeta- wood stove. The state fined Tiffany January. "They just figured they would can safely be sited." tion."Local opponents weren't so sure. $1,200 for the infraction. get a permit, build the damn thing and After initial confusion,Andrus con- "If there's the slightest risle:to the However,it took several monthsfor not hear anything about it." firmed that his moratorium applies to citizens of Idaho Falls, why should this Tiffany to agree to pay the fine. During "It's a really poor site," said Kent the American Falls project. Although a risle:be taken?" Idaho Falls Fire Chief that time, state Rep. Stan Hawkins, R, Rudeen, a farmer who chairs a citizens' project permit has been.granted, it has, Dicle:Hahnsaid. lobbied the state to lower the fine group opposing the project. "You just not yet been issued. Andrus's moratori- ''This is essentially a fireplace with against Tiffany, threatening legislative don't build something lilc:ethis next to um freezes the issuance process. a smole:estack," said Russ Brown of action against the agency. town." The site is upwind of a nearby Idaho Falls. Brown was one of several The Air Quality Bureau said the elementary school, and also sits directly opponents who blasted the project on wood stove incident, and the fight over above the Snake River. - Kevin Richert

HOTLINE malathion and other chemicals. While resort. Mory Bergmeyer, owner of the that the Forest Service wants land suit- the pesticides had not leaked, they had resort, had attemptedto trade nearly 700 able for recreation. not been recorded with local officials as acres along the Snake River in Idaho for Zuni Indians say U.S. required by federal law, reports the Col- 269 acres of Forest Service land at the caused erosion orado Pesticide Network News. base of the resort in the Tetons. The Cit- The Zuni land,in northwesternNew izens for Teton Valley argued that the Mexico is badly eroded, its watersheds .Lake Catamount EIS Environmental Assessment that was strippedand 90 percent of its arable land completed for the exchange proposal did gone. Led by Pueblo Governor Robert delayed again not adequately address the impacts of Lewis, the Zunis are blaming loggers, The U.S. Forest Service has again resort expansion on the surrounding ranchersand a century ofmismanagement delayed the release of the Lake Cata- rural area. Bergmeyermust now submit by the U.S. government. "We are strug- mount ski area Final Environmental a new master resort plan to the Forest gling ... to win relief from injustices Impact Statement. Forest Supervisor Service, which must then prepare a full which were done to us many years ago Jerry Schmidt told the Steamboat EIS on the proposed land exchange and and which the government had not seen Springs Review that the document will resort expansion. This will delay the fit to rectify on its own," Lewis told The now be released about Nov. 1. Accord- resort's controversialexpansion plans by Albuquerque Journal. Abill sponsoredby ing to Schmidt, "clarifications and at least two years, reports the Idaho Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., would set refinements" caused the unexpected Falls Post Register. Yellowstone's crowds up a $25 million trust fundfor the rehabil- delay, but critics of the Lake Catamount itationof Zuni tribal lands. Passagecould project charge that the release date was Snowbasin Ski Resort Throngs of touristsmadetheir way to come later this year. WhenNew Mexico postponed so the FEIS would not be in Yellowstone National Park this summer, became a territory in 1846, the federal public domain before the general elec- gains ground but park officials are beginning to ques- government attempted to "civilize" the tion on No'v. 6. This election might The Forest Service will permit a tionjust how beneficialtheserecord visits Zunis' labor-intensive farmingtech- include a county-mandated question 695-acre land swap in Utah's Wasatch- are. "We've all grownup withthe freedom niques, Black Rock Dam was completed about voter preferences on the Lake . Cache National Forest to allow the of being able to go to parlc:s whenever we in 1909 and innmediatelyfailed, spilling Catamount issue. However, Schmidt Snowbasin Slc:iResortto expand. Devel- want," Don Bachman of the Greater 72 million cubic feet of water into the said he doubted that a question on the opers of the 49-year-oldski area outside Yellowstone Coalition told The Billings river and surrounding countryside.Com- November ballot would affect his deci- Salt Lake City want to tum it into a four- Gazette. "Those days may be coming to mercialloggers clearcut the Zuni Moun- sion-making process. An earlier EIS season "recreation complex" (HCN, an end; we may be crowding each other tains and cattlemen overgrazed the land said Catamount would violate federal 2/12/90). The proposalhas pitted conser- out." Despite high gas pricesand the dev- where trees had been, saysZuni attorney clean air standards,destroy 140 acres of vationists against developers in one of astation caused by the 1988 forest fires, StephenBoyden. The U.S.JusticeDepart- wetlands and displace 2,000 acres of the area's most divisivedebates in years. advertising 'campaigns have helped ment claims that the erosion was not habitat (HCN, 9/24/90). Regional Forester Stan Tixier -says the increase visits to the parle:by 8 percent caused by government actions, and will decision is a compromise between the over last year. By August,2.3 million pe0- recommend'that President Bush veto the Grand Targbee resort 1,320 acres requested by Sun Valley ple had visited Yellowstone,an estimated Zuniclaims settlementbillif it is enacted. expansion delayed Development Corp., the operators of the 25,000 per day. Aocordingto the Gazette, ski area, and the 220 acres approved for 98 percent of the visitorsneverventure out Tornado reveals A U.S. District Court has ruled in -exchange by Forest Supervisor Dale of Yellowstone's developedareas, which favor of Citizens for Teton Valley, a Bosworth, according to the Idaho Falls make up 5 percent of the parlc:'s2.2 mil- poison cache grassroots organization opposed to the Post Register. "Both Dale and I had the lion acres. Each year,record crowds take In the aftermath of the' Limon, proposed expansion of Grand Targhee goal to balance environmentalprotection their toll on roads, servicesand wildlife. Colo.,tornado, cleanup crews discovered Sle:iResort in Alta, Wyo. The group and economic development,"Tixier said. Visitorscomplain about trafficjams, long 600 gallons of banned pesticides in a claimed that the Grand Targhee National Forest Service Regional Public Affairs waitsand the lack of availablecampsites. damaged grain elevator. The elevator, Forest did not follow correct environ- Officer Wally Shiverdecle:eremphasized At the suggestion of watchdog groups, owned by a company that went out of mental review procedures when it that the land trade is not a done deal. park officials will considersettinga carry- business in the early 1980s, contained approved a land exchange that would "All that's been approved is our willing- ing capacity this winter to determine the drums of Endrin, D-con, chlorpicrin, have resulted in an expansion at the ness to swap 695 acres," he said, 'adding numberof visitors theparle:cantolerate; ee TneS I ex eFf to

_High CountryNews-OCtober22, 1990-5 Goats test notions of 'native' and 'exotic' species It's been 10,000 years since native officials have deemed aerial removal too mountain goats roamed the weathered dangerous and are considering a plan to peaks in Yellowstone National Park. eliminate the goats by shooting them. They supposedly disappeared about the Although Olympic's plan to shoot goats same time that glaciers retreated north- is not popular among animal-rights ward into Canada. groups, it is considered one of the few Now a new invasion of mountain viable options for protecting the park's goats - and a plan to shoot them - is naturalresources. forcing Yellowstoneresource managers Rich Day, executive director of the to re-open the old debate over maintain- Montana Wildlife Federation, said it is ing native and exotic species in Ameri- premature for Yellowstone to recom- ca's oldest wildlifesanctuary. mend a solution without more research. Many compare this latest controver- The federation, Montana's largest and sy in wildlife management to the recent oldest statewide conservation organiza- decision to have uniformed"park rangers _tion, has 7,000 members, most of them shoot buffalo cows leaving Yellowstone huntersand anglers. this winter. However, there have been Day said his organization is await- few, if any, instances in Yellowstone's ing completion of an environmental modern history where wildlife managers review of Olympic's proposed goat have consideredkilling large, wild mam- shoot, which may offer some guidelines mals migratinginto the park. for Yellowstone. "I do find it interest-' According to guidelines established ing," Day added, "that Yellowstone is in 1968, goats migrating into Yellow- concernedon the one hand about balanc- stone across the western park boundary ing habitat between bighorn sheep and will be welcomed, while goats entering goats, while on the other hand they show from the northeastor south may be shot no concern about balancing habitat for .on sight. their nativebison." ''This is ridiculous," charged Cleve- Yellowstone's goats are likely to land Amory, executive director -of the trigger a broader analysis of whether the New YorkCity-basedFund For Animals. park's notionof native and exotic species "We will certainlyhave our lawyers look is now out of date, Varley said, and into this one. Why should one group of whether Yellowstone can realistically goats be considered natural and another A mountain goat browses in Montana maintainan ecosystem composed onlyof group shot for going into the park? It's a forest lands. The goats adapted well to this myth that we can maintaina natural native species. bunch of crap." the new terrain, and their numbers grew ecosystem. There is no way any national "I don't envy their position," Laun- While Amory's outrage is sharedby rapidly. park can exist as an island." dre commented. "If they don't do any- some conservationistsand wildlife advo- The TargheeNationalForest on Yel- Nevertheless, national park officials thing and the goats impact the native cacy organizations, park officials say lowstone's western tier now has 150 there cite erosion problems and the flora and fauna, then they'll look like the their policy is clear: Goats classified as goats, the Bridger-Teton to the south "destruction of native plants and habitat bad guys to some people. But if they exotic must be stopped before they 370, the Shoshone on the east 120 and as reasons for drastically reducing the intervene-early and shoot the goats to destroy habitat important to bighorn the Beaverhead to the northwest 290. number of goats in Olympic's back prevent resource problems, then they'll sheep and rare plants already occupying Dozens of those goats are advancing country.Janda said overgrazingand goat also be the bad guys. It's definitely a Yellowstone'sfragilehigh country. toward Yellowstoneacross the Beartooth wallows, exacerbated by erosion, now Catch-22." •• Yellowstone's research chief, John and Absaroka ranges on the northeast represent a major problem-onOlympic's Varley, says the park is mandated to pro- and ~uthern cornersof the park. .- steep mountain slopes, ~ Todd Wilkinson tect native species like bighorn sheep "They're already here, if you really To date, 407 goats have been and their habitatagainst exotic intruders. want to know the truth," said John Laun- removed in a live-capture, aerial- ToddWilkinson is a free-lance writ- "The first thing you have to decide is dre, hired by the Park Service to study removal program, Janda said, but park er basedin Bozeman, Montana. what is a native species," Varley said. goats and presenta list of possible options "There are a number of interpretations for managing them. Laundre has taken out there." several photographs of exotic goats Since the retreat of glaciers fromthe already inside theYellowstoneboundary. greater Yellowstone region, goats have Varley said a decision will be made been expanding down the spine of the later this year on how to confront the Rocky Mountain front, Varley said. earliest arrivals. The options include Their range once extended from Canada shooting the exotic goats, attempting to into Mexico and as far east as central haze them out of the park, or simply Wyoming. Evolutionary models adopted leaving them aloneand allowing them to by the Park Service dictate that species cultivate their own biological niche. recolonizing Yellowstone from the west Laundre said that even if Yellow- are consistent with natural wildlife dis- stone is successful in stopping the persal in the post-Pleistocene period and advance of the exotic goats by shooting ." o o are thereforeacceptable. them, they would be back on the park w'" ,.. The arrivalof mountain goats in Yel- border within 20 to 30 years. :§ lowstone, coupledwith the recent discov- "It's not a simple problem," he said. ery of goatbone shards at paleontological "The easiest thing to do would probably digs in thepark, substantiates two conclu- be to allow the goats to move into the sions: First, goats were once native to park, but then they [Yellowstone Yellowstone, and second, a population resource managers]have to contend with river.Following-lastyear's incidents, the approaching the park from the west habitat questions. They also have the HOTLINE White River National Forest began its should be welcomedbecause it is part of a Olympic [NationalPark] experience as a studyof the river's ecosystem. naturallyexpandingpopulation. reminder of the type of resource damage Coal mine blamed for Researchers, however, say the so- goats can cause." dead river Wyoming leads again called "native"population of goats mov- Sediments and chemicals released in mining revenue ing in from the west is not expected to Goats wreak havoc from a coal mine are poisoning Col- reach the park for several years. The orado's Crystal River, the U.S. Forest Wyoming continues to lead the park's problems will begin with goat Yellowstone officials say they are Service reports. The river, which flows countryin revenues and royalties gener- populations artificially introduced into closely watching events unfold in north into the Colorado River at Glen- ated by mining leases on federal lands. areas of the ecosystem where they would Olympic National Park, where exotic wood Springs, no longersupportsa natu- The statereceived $17 5.8 million in fis- not occur naturally for hundreds, if not goats have wreaked havoc. Goats were ral fish population, and insects that can cal 1989,or 40.6 percent of the $433.4 thousands,of years. never native to Olympic; sportsmen's survive' even sediment pollution have million distributed to 27 states by jhe organizations introduced them to Wash- disappeared. The study saysthe pollution Interior Department's Minerals Man- Goats were "planted» for bunters ington's Olympic Peninsula outside the source is Mid-Continent Resources' coal agement Service, according to The park between 1925and 1929. The num- mine, reports the Aspen Times. Four Billings Gazette. The amount for Several decade-sago, wildlife offi- ber of goats subsequentlygrew to a peak years ago the company was fined by the Wyoming, which produced nearly half cials in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho population of 1,000 and adopted the Environmental Protection Agency for the oil from federal lands in 1989, was transplanted mountain goats into a chain national park as a new home, said Chuck" illegally dumping PCBs. Last year the -up nearly $12 million from the year of peaks on the Yellowstone Periphery. Janda, Olympic's chief ranger. company was cited by the Colorado before. Next were New Mexico with This was meant to build populations "It's one of the classic cases of what Health Department for releasing water $88.3 million, Utah with $53 million suitable for hunting on adjacent national you call natural," Janda said. "We have with coal sediment into tributariesof the and Coloradowith $32.6 million. 6 - High Country News - OCtober 22, 1990 HOTLINE ~. It ain't art A quarter-mile-wide Hindu medita- tion symbol etched into a dry lake bed in Closing Reclamation's loopholes southeastern Oregon has landed its . artists a $100 fine. Bill Witherspoon of ___ -"'hy Dena Leibman the Bureau of Reclamation service area, The Gejdenson amendment, which Fairfield, Iowa, who calls the etching not just in California, Washington and would deny subsidized water to farmers "an artistic experiment on a grand WASHiNGTON, D.C. - A water Arizona, where. there is the most flagrant growing surplus crops, would be phased in scale," said that he and four companions reform bill that may be enacted before abuse. The amendment could mean that gradually. It would grant a grace period of made the symbol with an antique garden Congress adjourns later this month has family members sharing tractors and two years to farmers who had just amended cultivator, according 'to The Denver stirred hot debate up and down the other equipment would be in violation of or renewed their contracts, and then require Post. BLM officials weren't amused. Reclamation West. The ultimate question - enforcement guidelines, said Chapman. water payments of only 50 percent of full The area is in a proposed desert wilder- is whether Congress has the will to end r , Further, many small growers often cost for.upto four years after enactment, . \ ness just north of the Alvord Desert, and an era of wasteful water pracuces that <, enter into a contract with one processor, The Agriculture Department esti- damage to the area was compounded by are increasingly out of step with the who dictates when crops are planted and mates that in 1986 it paid $730 million people who carne to look at the symbol, nation's budget deficit. harvested. This common arrangement, to limit crop production on federally irri- the Post reported. Said Witherspoon: The Reclamation Authorization and said Chapman, could be considered a gated farms. At the same time, those "We will write them a letter with the Adjustment Act has passed the House of collective operation and therefore in vio- same farms received $200 million worth $100 and applaud the action because we, Representatives and is expected to win lation of the acreage limitation. . of subsidized water to increase their sur- too, are lovers of the land." Senate approval. The Senate Energy and "Total hogwash," says Daniel plus crop yields. Natural Resources Committee, however, Beard, staff director of the House Interi- 'This isn't fair to farmers outside the stripped the bill of two amendments that or and Insular Affairs Subcommittee on Bureau ofReclamation service area," Keeping you up provide its primary bite. Rep George Water and Power Resources. Large argues James Hess, Gejdenson's legisla- on the West's Miller, D-Calif., the author of one of the growers are posing these arguments to tive assistant. "It doesn't make sense from amendments, has vowed to kill the billif he oppose the Miller amendment, he said. an economic, environmental or policy prickly issues cannot reinstate his reforms when the bill "They would have 'you believe the standpoint to pay this double subsidy," reaches the conference committee, where ,: 'Bureau of Reclamation would go out and In Idaho and other northern states, House and Senate differences are settled. be overzealous with enforcement however, farmers are dependent on wheat Miller's amendment would close a action," Beard said. "This is the Bureau as a rotation crop that restores the soil and longstanding loophole that has allowed of Reclamation, not the IRS. We've had reduces erosion, Chapman maintains. Only farmers to skirt acreage limitations. The 80 years of nonenforcement of the law." a few rotation crops can grow in the harsh other amendment, introduced by Rep. Bureau water and land law specialist climate of these states, which locks Idaho Sam Gejdenson, D-Conn., would deny Gary. Anderson also predicts the Miller farmers into growing wheat even though federal water subsidies to farmers who amendment won't have much effect out- it's a surplus crop, Chapman said. grow surplus crops, such as com, wheat, side of California, Washington and Ari- "My point is that the Gejdenson rice and cotton. zona, other than to require farmers to . amendment, while it has a fairly laudable The Miller measure defines coopera- document their landholdings. goal, is going to have little effect on sur- tively run farms as just one farm - a statu- Attempts to reform the bureau's water plus crops but will end up costing people tory move that would prevent farmers from subsidy program withered last year under in the northern-tier states a lot of sidestepping the 960-acre limit for farms an extensive campaign waged by California money," Chapman said. "We're the ones eligible to receive federally subsidized agribusinesses. But this year Congress's really getting hammered." . water. Large agribusinesses have gotten renewed concern about the budget deficit, But no one really knows just how around the size limi t by breaking large and the environmental effects of darns and deeply Western farmers would feel the farms into smaller landholdings, while still irrigation, have added fuel to the reform Miller and Gejdenson amendments. In fact, managing the farms collectively. In one effort, says Elizabeth Birnbaum of the that may not be the real issue. What the leg- California case, a single "farmer" received National WIldlife Federation. islation does is open up the broader ques- millions of dollars in water subsidies to irri- "The reclamation program was tion: Are farmers who have always gate 23,000 acres of land designed to belp small farmers -seule the received low-cost water entitled to water In other parts of the Reclamation West," she said. "But it's come to the subsidies regardless of the cost to the envi- West, however, the Miller amendment is point now where we're subsidizing the ronment and the taxpayer? For the seen as legislative overkill. "There are destruction of rivers and wetlands to Congress, the decision is whether it is now abuses in California," said Sheri .Chap- help huge agribusinesses and to support time to wean farmers away from cheap man, executive director of the Idaho surplus crop production. This distorted water. Water Users Association. "But Congress policy should end." is going in with a meat ax instead of a - Bimbaum said larger growers are now scalpel and is upsetting the whole apple- - pulling out all the lobbying stops by urging • cart of the reclamation program." farmers outside of California to attack the - Dena Leibman is the editor of Con- High Country News The Miller amendment, says Chap- bill with arguments like those made by the servation 90, published by the National man, would affect farmers throughout Idaho Water Users Association, Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C. o One year $24 o Two years $42 (Lt \SIIlLf) *0 One year, institution $34 SOillHWESf TRAIL VIDEOS Grand Guidi. Explore with eight hillers this , *0 Two years, institution $60 Utah canyon system. filled with remains of Anasazi HIGH COUNTRY NEWS classified ads cost SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE organi-. diff ctNeilings. Rainbow Bridge Followa "Institutional rate applies (0 subscriptions spectacul.- and rugged "a~ 10 the l.. 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" ...... - r~· ~1 t.:;1.1'..... ~·t•. ' !.\nt\;; _~.f\ High Country News - OCtober 22, 1990 - 7 '(IDiDjJ f On getting priorities straight in Washington

_____ --Dby Lawrence Mosher

Westerners have reason to be frustrated and angry about what is going on these days in Washington, I!,I ! r D.C. While we fret about how to make a living with- I r out further despoiling our great natural heritage, some of our leaders are busily taking us in directions that can only hun us more in the end. I am talking about President Bush's adventure in the Persian Gulf, Congress's budget debacle, and those in the federal agencies who would tear up Western lands afresh to continue our energy binge. These issues l are all linked and should be considered together. Let's start with the Persian Gulf. President Bush has yet to explain adequately why this deficit-ridden country should be spending $2 billion a month to sta- tion 100,000 U.S. troops, two aircraft carrier battle \~ groups, 245 combat aircraft and other military units in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia. Nor has he told us \ . why these 100,000 American soldiers should risk their lives fighting in the Middle East. If Mr. Bush's provocative deployment of American forces ends up bringing some of these soldiers back in body bags, he should be required to explain to each bereaved family 7 .. < what their deaths accomplished. Did they die to save , their parents a dollar at the pump? - The tragedy unfolding in the Persian Gulf is not r'£uP the invasion of a country (Kuwait) where less than 10 percent of the population was entitled to vote. Rather, Rob Pudim it is the agonizing non-communication taking place between two cultures - ours and the Arabs'. While ing troops in the Persian Gulf creates a risk not worth that some on capitol Hill did link thetwo issues, and Mr. Bush talks about international morality and a taking. The most likely aftermath of any fighting in the that although the annual anticipated cost of $24 bil- "new world order;" the Arabs talk about Western Gulf is total oil disruption, skyrocketing prices and a lion was placed "off budget" - meaning the expense intervention and its moral hypocrisy. These agendas ' wave of revolutionary new Islamic fundamentalist did not matter now - it still had to be paid someday. never meet, which is the classic pattern for how wars governments from Iraq to Oman. The senator, who said he had favored the budget start. At the end of her six-week tour of the Middle This takes us to our most immediate concern in package, called the House action "an enormous fail- East, MacNeillLehrer NewsHour.correspondent Char- the West: the destructive impact of another energy cri- ure of public will" and "a breakdown of leadership at layne Hunter-Gault perceptively noted: "They speak a sis. What the West needs from the White House is a the White House." different language - not just Arabic, but a different strong national energy policy that encourages conser- Partisan politics aside, the budget mess also mind-set" vation and renewable energy development. What the reveals a lack of realism in those making U.S. foreign This is not to agree or disagree, with the Arab • West does not need is the risk of another Mideast war policy. In dispatching American forces to Saudi Ara- mind-set, but to question the' wisdom 'of attempting to that significantly diminishes or shuts off the world's bia, President Bush again displayed an American impose our attitudes on this troubled region now. The major crude oil supply. But what we are getting is just vision of itself as world policeman and moral watch- Middle East is undergoing a vast and painful transi- the opposite: While President Bush vigorously oppos- dog that is no longer consistent with the nation's eco- tion' from feudalism and the still fresh wounds of es legislation to require 40-mile-per-gallon cars, he nomic strength. . Western colonialism to a still unclear future. The pursues a Persian Gulf gamble that is appallingly Rather than worrying about Saddam Hussein, Mr. more the West is seen as interfering, the more we risky. Bush should be looking for more ways to cut the encourage such reactionary retreats as the Islamic fun- And this brings us to the last issue, the budget defense budget, which is still grotesquely out of pro- damentalism now entrenched in Iran. deficit debacle. The day the House of Representatives portion to the nation's post-ColdWar needs. And he If an uninterrupted supply of crude oil is our obvi- voted against the 199 I budget package (Oct. 5), I should be championing a new national energy policy ous but still unstated goal, the way to assure a total dis- asked Sen. Timothy E. Wirth, D-Colo., whether any- that takes the threat of global warming seriously and ruption of that supply is to be drawn into a shooting one on Capitol Hill questioned the wisdom' of a nation protects the West from the plunder wrought by rapid war in the Persian Gulf. This is why talk of initiating a deeply in debt spending $2 billion a month to station energy price shifts. These issues matter. The fortunes war with Iraq is so irresponsible, and why even station- troops in the Persian Gulf. Senator Wirth answered of the ruling AI Sabah family in Kuwait do not.

related to the Mormon religion. the loss of open space and wildlife habi- I'm not suggesting that subdivisions Indiscriminate "Mormon-bashing" tat, they must recognize that ranching are a positive influence on the land. But is unworthy of a publication of your offers poor protection against this kind I do believe that ecological changes MORMON-BASHING stature. of land-use change. In fact, it may give induced by livestock grazing may influ- Lucy A. Jordan people a false sense of security and thus ence far more total acres than those Dear HCN, Menoken, North Dakota reduce the urgency for beuer planning. associated with subdivisions. I enjoyed reading the several arti- Even if ranching did offer a reason- Furthermore, there are literally mil- cles discussing "Revolution at Utah's able opportunity to prevent sub- lions of acres in the West where lillie Grassroots: Navajos seek political 'SUBDIVISIONS DON'T divisions, one needs to ask if livestock subdivision would occur even if ranch- power" (HCN, 7/30/90). However, I was DRY UP OUR RIVERS' ] production is in fact less environ- ers wanted to sell out. We don't need to disturbed by the mention of the Mormon mentally damaging than subdivisions. subsidize ranchers in places like eastern allegiance of San Juan County resideots Dear HCN, Livestock are ,alien animals competing Montana, southwestern Wyoming or (i.e., "uprooting the Mormon pillar," Chas. S. Clifton (HCN, 8/27/90) with native wildlife for space, forage eastern Oregon to prevent subdivisions "Mormon-settled San Juan County," "as makes an argument that is frequently used and water - both on ranchlands and on simply because almost no one would former Mormon bishop," "a rancher and to defend Western livestock production. If public lands. Most of the water diverted want to live in those landscapes. devout Mormon.") I have interpreted Mr. Clifton's argument from waterways in the West goes for Rather than supporting livestock Having lived for I I years in Utah, I correctly, he feels that subsidizing live- growiog livestock feed, not green lawns. abuses, we should concentrate our am very aware of the pervasive in- stock grazing is better than allowing these If we eliminated ranching over substan- efforts on working for better land-use fluence of Mormon .religion and culture. same lands to be subdivided into tial areas of the West and replaced it planning, as well as for greater outright However, unless the purpose of the arti- ranchettes, because subdivisions are with subdivisions - assuming that there fee purchase of lands with significant cle is an analysis and documentation of worse for the land than problems associat- were enough people to fill all those sub- ecological, geological, recreational or 'the role of Mormonism on the present ed with grazing. If that were the real divisions - the removal of water from scenic values. Considering the billions economic and political disen- choice, I would agree. However, I think our rivers would drop dramatically. Sub- we spend subsidizing livestock produc- franchisement of the Navajos, such ref- there is no real evidence to suggest that divisions don't dry up our rivers. Subdi- tion in the West, I would rather have that erences serve only to increase the hostil- ranching prevents subdivisions. vision property. owners don't lobby to money spent purchasing ranches or ity and polarization between Anglos and Look at Jackson, Wyo.; Ketchum, kill predators. Subdivisions don't poison development rights than continuing to Navajos. My recent experiences in Idaho; Vail, Colo.; the Bitterroot Valley prairie dogs over millions of acres. And prop up an inappropriate, ecologically North and South Dakota have shown me in Montana, and a hundred other places many subdivisions do not impact ripari- damaging and non-sustainable industry. that the American Indian situation here to see that once demand for land rises, an areas nearly as much as livestock, is, if anything, worse than in Utah, and sooner or later most ranches are sold for especially if building in floodplains is George Wuerthner therefore the causes are probably not subdivisions. If people want to prevent prohibited. Livingston, Montana , 9 -Htgb Country News - October 22, 1990

The Stone H The San Rafael Swell i landscape shaped by erGSiol lions and desert bighom endangered species such ai home. A century ago outla Bunch hid out among the r( years before that, the area \ Native Arnerlc on cultur-e. explored the region in l8lLr the strange rock formations House Lands. , .Photographer J.B.Marro ·mld,septembel2 to documen U. "uniql'leiregiorn, wtiicti1coIJIE!f for designation as Utan:ssix'th

,. LRT V2

! House Lands ell in southeastern Utah is a 'osionand uplift, where mountain on roam deep canyons and :h os the peregrine falcon find a lutlows like Butch Cassidy's Wild he rocks. More than a thousand 'eo was a center for a prehistoric ire. Major John Wesley Powell 171, noting that the Indians called 'ions 'Sou-auger-towip' or Stone

Jl'$fon.braved 115-degree heat in ment the. desolateb~auty of this JfJfill'Vatr

- .Diane Sylvain , ~ '~>f.}"" ;"C' '1"'. p~ ""'-0" ,_ -: ',' lJ! 10 - High Country News - OCtober 22, 1990' ***************************************************************************************** • NEVADA Politicos play- with environmental rhetoric

With all the flowing water and trem- Like most Nevada politicians, Miller lack of controversy belies the high stakes raise the ire of casino operators and bling green leaves in political advenising makes his main target the federal Depart- at risk in the tough environmental issues, developers with a call for limits to this year, one might be excused for forget- ment of Energy. One ad begins with the such as Nevada's explosive urban growth growth. And not one politician has ting that Nevada is a desert in its fourth promise of gurgling creeks, majestic and its future water supplies. broached the subject of where the water year of drought. Although the Truckee mountains and evergreen forests for Urban growth, however, is Nevada's will come from to satisfy the growing River now runs dry through Reno, camera future generations. Then comes the sacred cow. Propelled by a booming Las urban thirst. Both Reno and Las Vegas crews caught the city's rushing river and threat: a DOE truckload of high-level Vegas gambling and retirement econo- have concocted massive, controversial fabled cottonwoods in spring. nuclear waste. "Enough plutonium to kill my, Nevada had the highest growth rate rural water schemes for the next century. So campaign commercials whisper 1.7 million people," the announcer says, - in the nation last year. Statewide elec- But the only plentiful water right now is Nevada's fondest mirages: abundant "more than the population of Nevada." A tions are now decided largely in Las on television. water, ever clear vistas and wildlife happy family on the screen is then Vegas, home to 60 percent of Nevadans. "It's such a crock," says Bob Fulker- bounding in all directions. engulfed in symbolic flames. Polls show that a majority of city- son, director of Citizen Alert, the state's Democratic Gov. Bob Miller, elevated Not so long ago, "environmentalist" dwellers in Las Vegas and Reno favor home-grown environmental group. "All to the post by appoinunent when Richard was a tag assiduously avoided by Nevada slowing growth to protect their quality of this greening stuff is just a PR veneer. Bryan was elected to the Senate in 1988, is politicos. Not anymore. "To me," Miller life. Yet, save for one dark-horse county We need environmentalists to raise the rwming against a token Republican candi- declared in another ad, "leadership in the commission candidate in the south, no stakes, I guess, or come up with a new date, Jim Gallaway, for the governor's seat '90s means concern for the environment." one is talking about the effects of the label for ourselves." this year. Even though Gallaway's chances Politicians in the congressional and urban boom on local environments as Two years ago, Fulkerson ran a are slim, Miller has opened his massive war state legislative races have followed well as the state. Close race against state Sen. Erik Beyer, chest to flood television with a green wave .Miller's lead. Nearly everyone has adopt- The politicians talk about Nevada's R, of Reno. This year, Beyer's billboards of campaign ads. . ed the easy rhetoric of Earth Day. But the clean air in exultant tones, but none dare feature the green mountain backdrop that was Fulkerson's trademark in the last election. Beyer manages to cloak himself in a green mantle in spite of his record. He abstained from a legislative vote last year that made dumping high-level nuclear waste in Nevada illegal. He sup- ported giving rural counties the ability to override the state Division of Environ- mental Protection t6 attract toxic inciner- ators. And he sponsored air-quality exemptions for a Reno-area firefighters' training center that burns diesel-soaked tires just outside the city. But Beyer's opponent has so far been unable to scratch his green veneer. The only truly green issue on the bal- lot is Question 5 - a $47 million parks" and wildlife spending authorization that the Legislature ducked in the last session. Question 5 will test whether Nevadans are willing to spend greenbacks to support their newfound green politics. A coalition of chamber of commerce members and conservationists - origi- nally formed to back Sen. Harry Reid's Truckee River settlement bill, still lan- guishing in Congress - is now backing Question 5. Endorsed by vinually every major urban constituency, and openly opposed by none, the parks initiative appears likely to pass . ...,..Ion Christensen A Citizen Alen fundraising flier NAVAJO NATION A 'weariness' haunts Tribe's election politics

TUBA CITY, Ariz. - Navajo vot- office in February 1989, enduring two borne of a year and a half of fighting and contributions - were not new. They'd ers will soon put to rest the long-running years of investigation and standing trial factionalism, which has torn at Navajo been reported for months in the reserva- and bitter struggle for the leadership of on charges of bribery, corruption and society and faith in its institutions. tion and state press. their tribe. On Nov. 6, suspended Chair- conspiracy. "This has been an unusually quiet MacDonald's suspension and depar- man Peter MacDonald, who is now in Since political polls aren't practical campaign," says Bill DOnovan, a long- ture plunged the tribal government into . tribal court for the first of three corrup- on the reservation, the only gauge of the time observer and correspondent for the chaos for months. His supporters first tion trials, faces former Chairman Peter- elections is attendance at rallies and Arizona Republic and the Navajo Times. refused to surrender his suite of newly son lab in the first election for the newly fairs. So far Zah is this year's frontrun- "If you've been to any of the other cam- renovated executive offices. In July created position of Navajo president. ner. But because of MacDonald's cam- paigns, you would have noticed that the 1989, the reservation was stunned when For years the Navajo political scene paigning skills, few people are willing to big people - MacDonald, Zah and oth- two MacDonald supporters were shot to has been described as having what count him out. ers - would have a lot of people in front death 'by .Navajo police during a riot in amounts to two de facto political parties: MacDonald's chances also hinge on of their campaign trailers all the time. which officers were attacked with clubs. those who suppon MacDonald and those how his trial goes. A pre-election con- They would have loudspeakers blasting MacDonald denied any wrongdoing who support Zah, After one win apiece viction would automatically remove his out their positions on everything all dur- . from the beginning. He also denied that in two previous battles, this should be narne from the ballot. If he is successful ing the day and' night. You don't have he was responsible for the deaths. He the political rematch of the decade for in the election and then convicted, tribal that this time." said his political undoing was orchestrat- the nation's largest tribe. law would require him to forfeit. MacDonald's alleged crimes - ed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and For Zah, it means reclaiming the Despite MacDonald's and Zah's accepting bribes and kickbacks from U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and office he lost by only 700 votes out of a longtime- rivalry, this is not a normal building contractors and others, arrang- Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz. He accused total 61,000 cast in the 1986 election. Navajo election embroiled in caucus ing to profit from the tribe's purchase of them all of seeking to curtail the tribal For MacDonald, it's a chance to vindi- political partisanship. Many suggest that the $33.4 million Big Boquillas Ranch sovereignty he claimed he had helped cate himself after being suspended from the general calm reflects a weariness and failing to report all of his campaign achieve for Indian tribes. T

High Country Ne.ws - OCtober 22, 1990 "" 11

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That episode has caused widespread ment, such as honesty, accountability, honesty, and if they don't then I think Navajo dissatisfaction with their lead- respect and dignity, Beyal says. they're in for a very difficult time." ers. At the height of the turmoil in 1989, Others say it is time for the Navajos With only three weeks left until the people clamored for a change from the to move away from the patronage poli- election, this general quest for honesty in old-guard politicians dubbed "MacZah- tics of the past. An effort toward this is the next tribal administration seems Ski" - a reference to MacDonald, Zah apparent in the tribe's one-year-old more visible than the usual campaign and interim Navajo President Leonard reforms that, for the first time, truly sep- issues ofjobs, veterans' benefits or Haskie. arated the executive, legislative and judi- scholarships. Navajos got a slate of 15 candidates cial bnmches. The old position of chair- Meanwhile, Leonard Haskie has' in the August primary election. But man was abolished and replaced with a quietly hoped to angle himself into posi- some complained that the choices speaker of the tribal council and tribal tion for a run at the presidency despite seemed too confusing. In the end, fewer president, perhaps setting the stage for the voters' decision that left him in a than half the reservation's 95,000 regis- future, equally powerful foes to wage tight third-place position behind the top tered voters cast ballots. new battles. two in August's primary. He garnered When MacDonald first announced Another change was beefmg up the more support than anyone 'expected, his candidacy in December, it was gener- tribal election code. No one can now hold even though his brief administration has ally expected he would at least take a office who has been convicted of "crimes been plastered by negative _press and rhetorical bashing. But that, too, hasn't of deceit, untruthfulness or dishonesty, minor scandals, the latest being accusa- come to pass. Most of the primary candi- including but not limited to extortion, tions that three of his top, aides were dates, including Zah.resisted using Mac- embezzlement, bribery, perjury, forgery, drinking on the job. Donald's troubles to promote them- fraud, misrepresentation, false pretense, His apparent desire for the presiden- selves. Zah spokesman Duane Beyal theft, conversion or misuse of tribal funds cy has even drawn criticism from both says Zah made a conscious choice not to or property .." and SO on. Zah and MacDonald in recent weeks. Patricia Guthrie use negative campaigning, at least for "I came out here in 1951 and to me They, like others, say it looks like Hask- Peter MacDonald now. this is the most important election since ie is trying to find a way to have Mac- "From his point of view, that's part instead of criticizing and blasting Mac- that time," said educator and author Donald thrown off the general election of the healing process," Beyal said. "In Donald." Now, Navajos want basic val- Robert Roessel. "It's got to translate into ballot and move in hirnself. that spirit, he's talking to the. people ues restored to politics and their govern- whether or not the Navajos will demand - Geo~ge Hardeen WASHINGTON Ballot initiative would limit state's growth A controversial initiative requiring tough growth-control laws dominates the Washington ballot. If voters approve Initiative 547, Washington will join- a handful of other states that have statewide land-use plan- ...AND NOW. SPORT~ ning. The immediate objective is to stop i'MIS. ~T ReAOY urban and suburban sprawl from gob- fOR A CI.ASSIC bling up farmland: wetlands and produc- CONFRONTATlON- .. tive timber land. Counties and cities will also be forced-to-de comprehensive land-- .. BIG GREEN ..._ use planning in accordance with the new state planrting goals. BIG "GREEN!! In the booming Puget Sound econo- my, open space is rapidly disappearing, The region has gained more than 455,000 new residents 'since 1980 and is expected to gain at least 600,000 more by the year 2000. New subdivisions, business parks and strip malls are springing up along traffic-clogged highway corridors. Many schools are overcrowded. . Environmental and community groups formed Citizens for Balanced Growth to craft the initiative after the state Legislature passed weak growth- management legislation last spring. Environmental attorney David Bricklin, co-chairman of the group, says the legis- lation applies only to the 12 fastest- growing counties in the state, which are all located west of the Cascades. The law also lacks enforcement provisions and would not take effect for two to three petitions, written by special interest vative Republican for her first term two lands as a way to increase jobs. years, he says. The initiative's controls groups, bypass the filters and balances of years ago, eking out a 618-vote victory Unsoeld is an enthusiastic pro- would take effect immediately. normal legislative procedures and result in an election in which 218,000 votes ponent of "new forestry" 'techniques - "The bulldozers aren't waiting and in bad laws. were cast. This is a district that tradition- leaving an assortment of standing trees, neither can we," says Bricklin, who con- Nevertheless, a recent poll by initia- ally votes Democratic and has strong snags and downed logs when logging tends that growth is now "out of control." tive backers showed three-to-one support labor ties. Analysts for both parties see old-growth stands - as a way of fulfill- The initiative would .also restrict for the growth-control measure. Late last the race as vital in the Republican bid to ing the needs of both wildlife and the conversion of private forest land to sub- month a Governor's Growth Strategies control the House of Representatives. timber industry. However, neither log- divisions and other uses. Iii the last IO Commission recommended adopting Williams has portrayed Unsoeld as gers nor environmentalists agree. years, 80,000 acres of forest have been many of the same measures found in the an ultra-liberal environmentalist who has Unsoeld did surprisingly well in the lost to urban development, Bricklin says. initiative, including confining future failed to fight for her constituents. A for- September primaries, garnering 52 per- The proposal has drawn strong opposi- growth to urban areas and setting up mer Weyerhaeuser accountant, Williams cent of the vote among four candidates tion fiom real estate interests and develop- regional growth commissions. advocates modifying the Endangered to Williams' 38 percent. Williams says ers, wbo would be forced to share the costs In congressional races, the battle for Species Act to prevent lawsuits from he isn't worried. His pollsters show him of new roads and schools. City and county the 3rd District seat in heavily timbered interfering with logging and has called and Unsoeld deadlocked at 42 and 43 officials, who fear losing control of local southwestern Washington is drawing for setting aside large tracts of federal percent, respectively. decisions to the state, also are against it. In national attention. Bob Williarns, a former land for timber production. Unsoeld says In future elections, Washington will addition, the Boeing and Weyerhaeuser five-term Republican state legislator, may the endangered spotted owl is a symp- gain an additional representative. companies are heavy contributors to an succeed in felling incumbent Democrat, tom and not the cause of the timber sup- Because of big population gains - anti-initiative group called Washington Rep. Jolene Unsoeld. Williams has court- ply crisis. She faults overcuttingon pri- 700,000 people statewide - the state Taxpayers for Livable Cornmurtities. ed timber workers frustrated by restric- vate lands and the export of raw logs. will get one more congressional seat, Opponents also criticize the citizen tions on old-growth logging. Recently, Unsoeld helped push through bringing its total to nine. initiative process itself. They say such Unsoeld barely beat another conser- the ban on raw-log exports from state .. JejfMarti 12 - Higb Country News - OCtober 22, 1990 " ***************************************************************************************** ·UTAH Mormon, male dominance at a crossroads Utah's politics, long dominated by it to Hansen to introduce. Brunsdale's white, conservative Mormon men, may fJISt "bill" called for moving a proposed gain a variety of new players after next natural gas pipeline route away from month's elections. A group of American urban Davis County. Three days later, Indians are running for county office in Hansen introduced a bill moving the one of the most conservative comers of route, but his staff said the legislation the state, and more women are continuing was drafted before they knew Brunsdale to seek positions in the Utah Legislature. was going to run. Brunsdale's 10 subse- The environment also is emerging quent "bills" have been ignored. as an issue across the political spectrum. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. "There's a lot of environmental sup- Wayne Owens is running against former porters in this state," said Lawson state geologist and legislator Genevieve LeGate, director of the Sierra Club's Salt Atwood in the 2nd District, which Lake City office. "Utah is a lot more includes most of Salt Lake City and is complicated than many outsiders think." considered the least Republican district • fI The most significant race is taking in a very Republican Slate. Owens intro- place in southeastern Utah's San Juan duced a 5.I-million-acre wilderness bill County, where six Native Americans in 1988 that has attracted some 100 co- form the Democratic slate for county sponsors from outside the state, but none office. Mark Maryboy is seeking re-elec- from Utah. His other bills include com- tion as the state's first and only Native pensating "downwinders" and uranium American county commissioner. Five miners, and providing for environmental others ~ Julius Claw, Ruby Nakai, mitigation in the Central Utah Project, a Claudia Keith, Dan Nakai and Nelson mammoth water scheme that has cost Begay - entered the race for office just about $2 billion to date. an hour before the filing deadline this A poll in early October put Atwood spring. They are running for treasurer, nine points behind Owens. However, the clerk/auditor, recorder, assessor and fact that she is female and Episcopalian sheriff, respectively. may put her at an advantage with voters They may succeed. The Navajos, seeking a change from Utah's traditional who make up nearly half of the county's Mormon and male politics. If Atwood population of 12,000, are turning out in wins, she will be the first woman Utah force to register to vote. Of the 6,352 reg- has sent to Congress since 1949. istered voters in the county, an estimated Campaign manager Stanford Smith 3,400 are Navajos, according to Jean points to Atwood's scientific training Melton, a University of Utah law student and notes that "she has forgot more managing the Native American campaign. about the environment than Wayne will Melton charges that county officials ever know." She is a fiscal conservative have dragged their feet in helping Nava- and has described herself as "squishy" jos vote, noting that some Navajos who on environmental and social issues. Her tried to vote in the Republican primary staff has~ since replaced "squishy" with in September were turned away. But Norm Shrewsbury "compassionate and caring." Utah's La Sal Mountains and canyon 'country county clerk and auditor Gail Johnson, a The environmental community, Republican seeking her third term in Utah and beyond - recruited with the slo- alliance with the Native Americans could however, still prefers Owens. "We're office, disagrees. She says that the coun- gan "It's your last chance to live in the carry him to office. A longtime friend of happy with Owens' performance," said ty does what it can to get the Navajos '60s" - will help out with directions and the late Edward Abbey, Sleight started the Sierra Club's LeGate. "No one else involved, and that those turned away rides on election day. his career in environmental activism need apply. Nothing in [Atwood's] hadn't been registered correctly. Another key race is between Moab fighting Glen Canyon Dam in 1964. record even shows she can approach Melton and others are working to cor- environmentalist Ken Sleight and incum- In Utah's congressional races, Wayne Owens on these issues." rect a major obstacle to Navajo voting - bent slate Rep. Dave Adams, R-Monti- incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Hansen, R, More women are continuing to run .! the widespread belief'that people aren't cello. Sleight is campaigning on a plat-- faces a distant but feisty challenge from for state legislature in a trend that allowed to vote if Ilieycan't read and write form supporting Indian sovereignty and 33-year-old lawyer Kensley Brunsdale in increased the proportion of female legis- English. To compensate for pervasive illit- criticizing industry-caused water pollu- the 1st District, which covers western lators from 7 to II percent in 1988. Cur- eracy 00 the Navajo reservation, pamphlets tion on the reservation and uranium tail- Utah and some suburbs of Salt Lake rently, 'one of the 29 state senators and with pictures illustrating the voting process ings near the San Juan River. City. A former aide to Rep. Wayne 11 of the 75 slate representatives are will be mailed out, according to Melton. Although Adams is well entrenched Owens, Brunsdale is a self-described women. Nineteen women are running for And at least eight lawyers and several van- in the slate Legislature and serves as the environmentalist who has adopted the the state House and three for the Senate. loads of volunteers from the University of majority whip, some think Sleight's tactic of writing legislation and sending -Lisa Jones NEW MEXICO GOP takes to smearing Democrats green

Green stances by New Mexico Club, was labeled a "green puppet" in the same offices before, and Udall (son of well into the 1990s. For the fJISttime since Democrats are making their Republican the letter. It has become a symbol of an former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall) the state switched from two- to four-year opponents see red in this year's elections. election campaign in which New Mexico narrowly lost a bid for the U.S. House of terms in 1970, the victors will be eligible 7 A recent campaign brochure for .Republicans have taken to environmen- Representatives in 1988. The Republicans to run for a second four-year term, The New Mexico Democratic state land com- talist-bashing. are-Frank Bond, a former Santa Fe state current incumbents, Gov. Garrey Car- missioner candidate Jim Baca said, "I This year, Republican candidates or representative running for governor, fJISt- ruthers, Attorney General Hal Stratton and don't want Earth Day to be forgotten." A their suppotters in three key state races term state Sen. William Davis, who is Land Commissioner Bill Humphries, all fund-raising letter for Baca's Republican have labeled their Democratic opponents running for. attorney governor, and land Republicans elected in 1986, cannot. opponent, John Bigbee, then character- environmental extremists, or have called commissioner candidate Bigbee. Even in the short term, a Democrat- ized Baca this way: the Democrats' environmentalist sup- In other races, neither U.S. Sen. ic sweep of the three key slate jobs could "He is now the anointed candidate porters extremists. So far, the strategy Pete Domenici, a Republican up for re- transform New Mexico's environmental of the wild environmentalists whose isn't paying off. election, nor the state's three con- bolitics and make life more difficult for concern for raw power and self-perpetu- Polls by the Albuquerque Journal gressmen face serious threats. The entire tbe long-delayed Waste Isolation Pilot ation have long ago surpassed worry show the Democrats - Bruce King for state House of Representatives, now Plant nuclear waste dump outside Carls- over preserving the natural splendor of governor, Tom Udall for attorney general controlled by the Democrats, is up for bad,N.M. New Mexico." The Sept. 5 letter was and Baca for land commissioner - lead- election. The Democratic-controlled Throughout his administration Car- signed by Phelps Anderson, a Roswell ing handily. Environmental issues aside, state Senate is not. ruthers has been a vocal WIPP supporter. oilman and son of internationally noted one possible reason for the Democrats' Because of changes in state election And Attorney General Stratton in 1987 oil magnate Roben Q. Anderson. success is that they are far better known. laws, the results of the three races for Slate signed a legal agreement with the U.S. Baca, who is endorsed by the Sierra Both King and Baca have been elected to office may shape New Mexico politics Department of Energy allowing the ~ T LAT V2

High Country News - OCtober 22, 1990-13 ****11'************************************************************************************ agency to bury up to 15 percent of limit timber-cutting to save the spotted Bigbee, his Republican opponent, members and donors, endorsed only two. WIPP's total waste load before the DOE owl. And Bond's cohort on the Republi- says he supports protecting wildlife Republicans, both in state House races, proves it meets federal radioactive waste can ticket, attorney general candidate habitat and land for future generations, and 17 Democrats. disposal standards. Davis, is a strong WIPP supporter. but is short on specifics. Bigbee is a Those groups are very liberal, says'; Democrats Udall and King, howev- The land commissioner race also car- Sierra Club member and ex-rancher who state Republican chairman John Lat- er, say they oppose opening WIPP until ries a lot of weight in New Mexico also serves on the governing board of tauzio. "They're in favor of more gov- it can prove that it meets the standards, because the commissioner sets grazing conservation-minded rancher Allen ernment control and regulation. We try which could take four more years. King fees as well as royalty tax rates for oil and Savory's Holistic Resource Center. He to strike a balance between development has even said as governor he would gas extraction, and potash and copper said in an interview that he had not seen and preservation." close the state's borders to nuclear mining on 9 million acres of state-owned the Phelps Anderson letter before it was But Lynda Taylor, spokeswoman for wastes, if necessary, to prevent WIPP land. , mailed, and that he disapproved of its the conservation alliance, counters that from opening sooner. In his first term, from 1982 to 1986, "name-calling." the harsh anti-environmentalism of the Like King, Republican guber- Democrat Baca angered cattle ranchers As some Republicans see it, the Reagan era is what has made the envi- natorial candidate Bond has opposed and other private interests by pushing underlying cause of their "environmental ronment a partisan issue. "Before Rea- DOE's plans to bury a small amount of grazing fees and royalty taxes closer to extremist" rhetoric this year is that envi- gan, Republicans were more active on wastes at WIPP for experiments before market value. This election, Baca has ronmental groups in the state virtually the environment, but the Reagan- Walt- the dump provesit is safe. But in late taken strong environmental positions, always endorse Democrats. This year, Burford mentality is still simmering August, Bond blasted factions of the favoring reform of the 1872 Mining the Sierra Club picked Democrats in all among Republicans," she said. New Mexico Conservation Voters Law, converting the state transportation three races it considered. The state Con- Alliance, which endorsed King, for their fleet to natural gas fuel and pushing a servation Voters Alliance, a political flat opposition-to WIPP and attempts to bottle-refund bill. action committee with nearly 1,800 - Tony Davis MONTANA 'Wilderness issue clouds a hot Senate contest The race to watch in Montana this agriculture. mining, logging and snow- , year environmentalists have been upset percentage points of defeat in 1986. He year pits two-term Democratic Senator mobile and trail-bike interests. with Baucus for supporting provisions of is not likely to face a serious threat this Max Baucus against Allen Kolstad, the Kolstad supports Burns's wilderness the Senate version of the Clean Air Act's year. In 1989, Marlenee's voting record state's current lieutenant governor. bill, which releases four times as much reauthorization that they say would was rated 10 percent by the League of Many observers are comparing their land to development as it protects. That allow air quality to be degraded in West- Conservation Voters, placing him well race to Montana's surprising 1988 elec- eamed him the support of development' ern states. below the House Republican average of tions. Two years ago, political newcom- interests. Kolstad has said he will pass a While Reps. Ron Marlenee, R, and 35 percent. "Even among his Republican er Conrad Burns, R, won a stunning wilderness bill within a year of his elec- Pat Williams, D,. are campaigning for re- colleagues, he's an environmental disas- upset over veteran Sen. John Melcher, tion, albeit one based on Burns's model. ' election this year, they're looking more ter," said Webb. D. Burns's coup hinged on a late infu- The Republicans have campaigned toward a 1992 race that may pit them When opposing wilderness legisla- sion of funds from the National GOP hard on the wilderness issue. Bums has against each other. Montana is, expected tion, Marlenee has sometimes donned a and a last-minute presidential veto of a slammed Baucus repeatedly, doing most to lose a seat in the House of Represen- hunting cap to represent "Joe Montana." < controversial Montana wilderness bill of Kolstad's work for him. But Baucus tatives as a result of the 1990 census. He recently incited hoots of applause from that Melcher had helped pass. predicts that his re-election will show Williams has represented western an overflow crowd of timber workers dur- This year the National GOP per- Republicans that wilderness is not as Montana for the past 12 years, winning re- ing a hearing on a proposal to insulate fed- suaded Kolstad to challenge Baucus, potent a political issue as they believe it is. election by comfortable margins each term. eral timber sales from legal challenges. hoping to repeat its 1988 victory and The Senate contenders also have Williams's voting record was rated 80 per- "How many mills and logging crews sweep the Montana Senate delegation .touched on other.environmental issues" cent last year by. the League of Conserva- have been put out of existence because for the first time ever. Again, wilderness This summer Kolstad told 'the Montana tion Voters. 'This shows you can be a pro- , of the litigation, because of the appeals is a key issue. Coal Council that threats of global environmental voter and be re-elected in process?" Marlenee asked. "I'm telling • Baucus introduced two wilderness warming and acid rain are really more the state of Montana," said Webb.Williams you, we're getting sick and tired of it." bills this year. One is a statewide bill; the scare tactics than actual environmental bas protected the Bob Marshall Wilderness Marlenee is opposed by Don Burris, other covers the Lolo and Kootenai problems. He said ,he based his remarks from oil and gas exploration, led passage of a Billings attorney who worked as an national forests and is based on the on the summary report of the federal the 1ater vetoed 1988 statewide wilderness administrative-law judge for the Social recent accords negotiated by some study on acid precipitation. bill, and introduced a bill to require addi- Security Administration. By mid- wilderness activists and unions repre- Baucus's environmental scorecard tional study before exploratory oil and gas September; Burris had raised less than senting western Montana mill workers fell in -1989. His votes earned him a rat- wells are drilled on national foresi lands in $10,000 for his campaign. In contrast, (HeN, 9/24/90). Baucus's proposals won ing of 30 percent, well below his lifetime the Badger-Two Medicine area south of Marlenee had spent $73,500 on his cam- the support of some but not all wilder- average of 69 percent, said Ali Webb, Glacier National Park. paign by mid-summer, out of a total - ness advocates, while triggering intense the League of Conservation Voters' elec- 'Marlenee has represented eastern raised of $180,500. opposition from groups representing tion director in Washington, D.C. This , Montanafor 14 years, but came within 3 - Bert Lindler OREGON Old-growth forests' fate dominates major races

Oregon will get a new governor and membrane filters and biological insect con- beating Smith two years ago, bas received federal repository for high-level nuclear possibly a new senator and congressman trols. In a flurry of TV spots and public strong financial support from the Demo- waste is open, until the plant is cost -effec- this- election. It may also lose its nuclear appearances, Lonsdale bas accused Hatfield craticNational Committee, which perceives tive and until it can withstand a major power plant and ban excess plastic pack- of becoming a pawn of the timber industry. Smith as particularly vulnerable. Smith, earthquake without harm to the public. aging. Hatfield may be the person most who has one of the most anti-environmen- The other major environmental bal- Since February, when first-term responsible for the disappearance of Ore- tal voting records in Congress, is targeted lot measure is an attempt to reduce the Gov. Neil Goldschmidt announced he gon's old-growth forests over the past also by abortion-rights supporters and has solid-waste stream. Measure 6 would would not run for re-election, Democrat- two decades. He and Oregon Rep. Les come under fire for his oversight of the sav- require that all product packaging in the ic nominee Barbara Roberts, Oregon's AuCoin, D, have used their positions on ings and loan industry. state meet one of three recycling stan- secretary of stale, has staged a catch-up their respective appropriations commit- Oregonians are getting another dards by 1993. The packaging must campaign against the Republican candi- tees to pass bills requiring high timber chance.in an initiative to close the state's either contain at least 50 percent recy- date, Attorney General Dave Frohnmay- cuts in federal forests in the Northwest, only nuclear power plant. Trojan, which cled material; be made of materials that er. One of the major issues dividing the Several of Hatfield's bills banned sits on the banks of the Columbia River are currently recycled in Oregon at a'15- two is the fate of Oregon's forests. environmentalists' appeals of timber 40 miles downstream from Portland. A percent rate that will increase in steps to Frohnmayer has urged the 'state to fight sales - bans recently declared unconsti- similar effort failed by a 64-to-36-percent a 6O-percent rate by the year 2002; or be the federal government's plans to slash tutional by a federal appeals court. Lons- margin in 1986. However, backers of this reusable at least five times for the same logging, while Roberts has suggested dale, on the other hand, is a founder of year's measure have been bolstered by a or similar purposes. Proponents, led by that "the majority" of Oregon's old the Native Forest Council, a group that variety of new revelations: sloppy main- Consumers for Recycling, claim the growth be preserved. advocates the immediate protection of all tainence by Trojan's owner, Portland move would both conserve energy and In the Senate race, Republican Mark old-growth trees on public lands. General Electric; faulty inspections by reduce waste and pollution. But oppo- Hatfield faces his first real race since he Four of Oregon's five incumbent U.S. federal regulators; poor construction of nents, led by the Oregon. Committee for first won in 1966. His challenger is Harry representatives appear headed toward re- the plant by the Bechtel Corporation: and Recycling, say the bill is too costly and Lonsdale, a newcomer to politics who . election, but Republican Denny Smith geologists' warnings of a potential earth- complicated, and would become "a full- became a millionaire by manufacturing might be unseated by Mike Kopetski. quake in the area. This year's Measure 4 employmeni measure for lawyers." high-tech environmental products such as Kopetski, who came within 700 votes of stipulates that Trojan can't operate until a -Jim Stiaf( L

14 - HigbCountry News - October 22, 1990 --IDAHO *****************************************************************************************'' Land-use issues draw' national interest In Idaho, where wilderness and has unnerved loggers who fear wilderness Fairchild got off to a rough start when water are the top issues, national atten- designations will cost them their jobs. his ex-wife appeared at his campaign kick- tion is focused on north Idaho's congres- Smyser would bar new wilderness off to accuse him of abusing drugs and sional race. without equal acreage of federal land beating her. Fairchild denied both charges The national Democratic Con- released for development. At issue in and offered to take regular drug tests. He gressional Campaign Committee has Idaho's wilderness debate are 9 million overcame that debacle by winning a three- ranked Idaho's 1st District the party's acres of roadless forestlands. way primary, but has since failed to wio number one chance nationwide to cap- The two candidates for Idaho's the financial support he needs to wage a ture a Republican seal It would be the attorney general seat have spent much of major television advertising campaign. He first Democratic victory in northern the campaign arguing over state land had raised just $98,000 by mid-summer, Idaho in 23 years. management. The race is getting more while Andrus had raised more than Current lst District Rep. Larry attention than usual because the Idaho $500,000, much of it from large corpora- Craig, R-Idaho, is vacating the office attorney general sits on the five-member tions in and out of the state, he's held for five terms to run for Sen. , state Land Board, which makes grazing The two have clashed over wilder- Jim McCllire's old seat. McClure, one of and timber harvest decisions on roughly ness - Andrus wants about 1.5 million the West's senior Republicans, is retiring 3 million acres of state lands. Currently, acres more while Fairchild wants none in January. JiI the race to replace Craig, ' Republicans control three of the five - and over financial disclosure. Boise stockbroker Larry LaRocco won a seats on the Land Board. Meanwhile, Idaho's relative finan- tough three-way Democratic primary and Democratic candidate Larry 'clat health has stripped the Republic is said by pollsters to hold a slim lead EchoHawk, a Pawnee Indian, has drawn Party of its traditional complaint about over the Republican nominee, state Sen. national support from people like Sen. Larry EchoHawk Democrats: that they are bad for busi- Skip Smyser, a Parma lawyer. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who chairs the deputy attorney general Pat Kole, 38. ness. Since Andrus was elected in 1986, LaRocco, the former north Idaho U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian The two have clashed over land-use poli- unemployment in Idaho has dropped field 'staffer for the late Sen. Frank Affairs. If he is elected - and polls indi- cy, with Kole opposing further wilder- from an annual average of 8.7 percent to Church of Idaho, ran for Congress cate he has a good chance - EchoHawk ness designations in Idaho. Echollawk 5.3 percent this year. During that time, unsuccessfully in 1982, giving Craig his will be one of the few Native Americans supports the Idaho Legislature's attempts the number of employed Idahoans rose toughest race to date. Since then, LaRoc- to hold a major elective office in the to mediate a settlement, but has not spec- from 432,000 to 466,000. With Andrus's co ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate United States. ified how many acres of Idaho wildlands financial strength at the top of the ticket, and in 1986 championed the ballot mea- EchoHawk, 41, was .a football star at should be set aside as wilderness. Democratic legislative strategists hope sure that brought a state lottery to Idaho. Brigham Young University. He graduat- When last required to report their they can close the four-vote margin and Smyser served 10 years in the Idaho ed from the University of Utah law finances, EchoHawk had raised nearly take control of the Idaho Senate. Senate, where he was chairman of the school and served in the Marine Corps. twice as much money as Kole, And he's , In other races, Craig is the odds-on Transportation Committee and has been He is a member of the LDS church, often not the only Democrat with a financial favorite to win election to the U.S. Senate. a strong anti-abortion voice. He was considered a political advantage in advantage. Gov. Cecil Andrus was all Democrat Ron Twilegar, a Boise invest- unopposed in the primary. . southern Idaho, and represented the but declared the winner in early October ment banker, has run a hard-hitting cam- In this campaign, LaRocco has Pocatello area from 1982 to 1986 in the when his Republican opponent, former paign, but has had less money than Craig. endorsed the 1.5 million-acre Idaho Idaho House of Representatives. He was Idaho Senate Majority Leader Roger In addition, Craig is well-known in tradi- wilderness bill proposed by McClure and attorney for the Shoshone-Bannock tribe Fairchild, said that his campaign was out tionally Democratic north Idaho and has Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus. Analysts in the early 1.980s and, after .his terms in of money. The state GOP has come up been able to concentrate his attention on say that could erode his support in' tradi- the Legislature, was elected Bannock with just $550 for ihe' Fairchild cam' lbe 'southern half of mestate while Twile- tionally Democratic timber towns, where , County prosecutor. paign, a minor fraction of what the party gar has had to work statewide. the debate over the northern spotted owl .Running against him is former has contributed in the past. - Dean Miller 'COLORADO Senate .race an easy call for environmentalists In Colorado, there has been relative- said, the United States should impose a E. Wirth have had opposing bills pending Andrews most recently was the- ly little environmental dialogue this elec- $lQ-per-barrel import fee on oil to pay for months, stuck over the question of executive director of a conservative tion season, even in the two statewide for alternative energy research. whether wilderness should have federal think tank, the Golden-based Indepen- races most likely to affect conservation Overall, the environment has been a reserved water rights. Heath has supported dence Institute. Allied with the Moun- issues - the gubernatorial and U.S. Sen- relatively untraveled side canyon during Wirth's proposals while Brown has tain States Legal Foundation, the insti- ate races. the race.. Instead, Heath has spiced her backed Armstrong's bill, which grants no tute has published several papers on The race receiving the most envi- campaigu with talk of the savings and explicit federal water right. environmental issues that generally ronmental attention is the Senate contest loan bail-out, connecting it to Brown In August, Wirth proposed a five-year espouse free-market thinking. Address- between Republican Rep. Hank Brown because of past campaign contributions. interim protection bill for 750,000 acres of ing the environmental movement in gen- and Democrat Josie Heath, a former She also said she'd cut military spending Forest Service wilderness study areas. The eral, the institute once said: "If social- Boulder county commissioner. The win- in half. bill is silent on water issues, aiming sim- ism and collective action are discredited ner will replace Sen. William Arm- Brown_ said environmental issues ply to preserve the lands while a compro- in other parts of the economy and other strong, R, who is retiring after two have played a small role in the campaign mise is worked out. Armstrong opposes parts of society, environmentalism terms. because he has "such a strong record in the interim measure, but Brown straddled becomes the last refuge for the true Brown, a five-term representative of that area. "

, High Country News - OCtober 22 - 15 ***************************************************************************************** '.- SOUTH DAKOTA Garbage dumps and mining lead ballot

Voters in South Dakota will select a governor, a U.S. senator and a lone con- gressional representative. But the con- tests that have the most environmental significance are over two citizen-spon- sored ballot initiatives. One would limit surface mining and the other would regu- late large solid-waste landfills, The garbage initiative targets landfill development schemes, such as the recent South Dakota Disposal Systems, Inc., pro- posal. Its l-rnillion-ton-per-year project has already been approved by the state's gover- nor-appointed Board of Minerals and Envi- ronment (HCN, 9/10/90). The initiative takes permit responsibility away from the board and gives it to the state Legislatore. Because the measure is retroactive, passage would require South Dakota Disposal Sys- tems to seek legislative approval. The ini- tiative also offers dump opponents the chance to overtoma legislative permit by allowing a project to.be put to a public vote under South Dakota's referendum laws. The surface mining initiative is a revised version of two similar measures that were soundly defeated in the 1988 elections. Those would have increased

mining reclamation standards and raised ~ichard Fort state severance taxes on gold production. A Homestake Corp. open-pit goid mine in the Black Hills of South Dakota This year's proposal would restrict fiddle to the economy in this campaign. surface mining impacts to 3,100 acres per garbage, SDDS has stressed that the state ed the environmentalists. Larry Pressler, the state's senior U.S. mine at anyone time. Once that ceiling is will need the facility as new federal land- As in 1988, lopsided war chests senator, is seeking his third term. The 47- reached, reclamation must accompany fill regulations come into effect and force characterize this year's initiative con- year-old Republican has a poor voting expansion on an acre-for-acre basis. The oid community dumps to close. tests. Two years ago, the mining industry record on the environment and seems measure would mostly affect cyanide The company warns that new jobs outspent environmentalists $1 million to uninterested in environmental matters. heap-leach gold mines in the Black Hills. and additional state revenues will be lost if $50,000. That ratio appears to be the Pressler faces Ted Muenster, a Sioux The number and size of heap-leach mines its landfill is blocked. It also has threat- same this year in both initiatives. Falls businessman. Muenster is waging there has grown rapidly since J982, caus- ened taxpayers with legal action if the ini- Most observers say the garbage ini- an aggressive campaign, making strong ing massive surface disturbances, water tiative passes and SDDS must get another tiative stands a better chance for passage commitments on environmental issues. pollution and cyanide poisoning. permit. Lawsuits are not new to SDDS. than the mining measure. And mining That attention helped him secure the -:;; Both initiatives are sponsored by the The company has twice sued the Surface critics worry that another overwhelming Sierra Club's endorsement despite his Surface Mining Initiative Fund, an envi- Mining Fund over the initiative. It also has setback at the polls could jeopardize any having helped the mining industry beat ronmental group based in the Black sned South Dakota over its permit, hope of achieving meaningful COntrols two environmental initiatives in 1988. ' Hills. The group has a tiny budget and The mining initiative is being fought over mining in the near future. Pressler remains an enigmatic vote- has done little advertising or campaign- by the South Dakota Mining Association In South Dakota's gubernatorialrace, getter. No politician in the state's recent ing. However, it faces well-financed and its surrogate organization, People for Republican George Mickelson is seeking history has been so broadly criticized. opposition on both fronts. Responsible Mining. The two beat the his second term. Th

For the environment-conscious rides a steed through the sagebrush in northwest of Cody. Bowing to the clout Wyoming voter, most major 1990 races her classy television commercials. .of agriculture and hunting interests, both -appear to be choices between the lesser The daughter of a former Wyoming Mead and Sullivan - as well as most of two evils. Only careful listening govemot and senator, Cliff Hansen, Mead other sitting Slate pols - oppose return- reveals any differences in the, cowboy- has close ties to the Wyoming Heritage ing native wolves to Yellowstone hatted crowd of candidates. Foundation, a strongly pro-development, National Park. While this season's contestants give conservative think tank. The group The congressional race pits moder- lip service to the environment, their recently panned a move by. federal agen- ate Republican Craig Thomas, the words are generally seen as disingenuous cies to manage the Yellowstone region as incumbent, against conservative Demo- openers that mask their support for tradi- an ecosystem because it might slow min- crat Pete Maxfield. Their differences are. tional economic development. A Mary- ing, drilling and timbering. few bot significant. Mead-for-governor commercial shows While she remains on the foun- Maxfield would support wolf rein- loaded-down cars ostensibly driving out dation's steering committee, Mead has troduction in Yellowstone on three con- of the state because of its stagnant econ- not promoted her connections to the ditions: that wolves are controlled out- omy.' Pete Maxfield, Democratic chal- group. Instead, she has sought a more side the park; that there is a compensa- lengerfor the state's lone U.S. House of even public tone, opposing (with almost tion plan for ranchers; and that the pres- Representatives seat, chides incumbent everyone else in the state) an oil-drilling ence of wolves does not hinder public Craig Thomas for not pushing oil price proposal next to scenic Brooks Lake in use of lands. Thomas is unequivocally supports that could boost and stabilize the Absaroka mountains (HeN, 10/8/90). against reintroduction. He says, "There domestic production. But she also talks about the need to lure are greater priorities right now in Yel- In the gubernatorial ring, incumbent new industries to Wyoming. lowstone - roads, campgrounds, winter- Katherine Collins Mike Sullivan, an anti-choice Democrat, Incumbent Sullivan does too, but he use improvements - besides spending Democrat Mike Sullivan has made -a worn, white cowboy hat his offers more environmental footnotes. money to hear a howl." campaign-trail trademark. He faces pro- Although he wants to speed up the per- Thomas did oppose a recent amend- Simpson, whose commercials show choice Republican Mary Mead, a mitting process for oil drilling on public ment to open wilderness areas to oil and majestic elk and coyotes on the wealthy Jackson rancher who proudly land, he carefully adds that. such -gas drilling that was supported by Wyoming range. He consistently "streamlining" should Wyoming Senators and fellow Republi- describes himself as an environmentalist, not jeopardize protec- cans Alan Simpson and Malcolm but often takes stands that make conser- tion- of sensitive Wallop. But while Maxfield backs sig- vationists shudder. resources. nificant changes in the 1872 Mining Although Simpson says he supports During this year's Law, Thomas is less critical. "If there is the premise of the Clean Air Act, he has legislative budget ses- to be reform," he says, "it must be done sought to weaken parts of it; such as the sion, Sullivan battled, in recognition of all the good things the visibility standards for Western national with only partial suc- law has done." parks. cess, to retain inspec- Maxfield - formerly the state nego- But this may be irrelevant to the -tors in the state tiator on the Wind River Indian Reserva- election. The Simpson family vaguely Department of Envi- tion water dispute - generally favors suggests a Wyoming Camelot (AI's ronmental Quality that the environment more. He wants protect- father, Milward, was a governor and sen- legislators wanted to ed flow i~ the t::larks Fork to be decided ator), and Al Simpson enjoys terrific fire. He also was by scientific study; Thomas has joined in support throughout the state. He has also among the first elect- the congressional delegation's efforts to amassed a campaign war chest of close ed officials to back Iegislate it. But neither wants any to $1 million, which puts his less-known wild and scenic desig- expansion of the U.S. Bureau of Land challenger, Kathy Helling, to shame. nation for the Clarks, Management's paltry wilderness propos- "If you'll excuse me now," Simpson Fork of the als in Wyoming. told a recent gathering, "I need to go do Yellowstone River The other major race is for the U.S. some blatant political activity." Republican'Mary Mead and its rugged canyon Senate seat held by down-home Al - Michael Milstein

_____ ----IJby Matthew Gilbert by such imperatives in the United States. Why? History has not been kind to third-party Is the United Slates ready for a Green politi- efforts in this country. European successes have' cal party? been a direct result of their system of proportion- Inspired by the Green parties of Western al representation, in which Green parties have Europe, the American Greens appeared on the gained seats in parliaments with as little as 5 per- political scene for the first time six years ago. cent of the vote. Since then they have been chided by mainstream But the American Greens must share some of environmental activists for being long on theory the blame as well. Members have been split and short on pragmatism. between focusing on the political arena or promot- Last September, however, the U.S. Greens ing citizen education and direct action. The split is ended three years of argument over specific goals a classic example of strategy disagreements that by hammering out a political platform. Some 150 have kept the group from becoming more visible. delegates met in Estes Park, Colo., for five days Support for electoral work is now growing, to fashion an interesting mix of noble declara- however. The platform encourages the develop- tions and specific policies. ment of Green parties at the local and state levels, They called for a "complete phaseout of and local campaigns have been irtitiated. In Califor- nuclear power" and the "dismantlement of the rna, the Green party is gathering the 80,000 signa- ' Nuclear Regulatory Commission," an end to the lures needed to place candidates on the 1992 ballot. "use of pesticide poisons," a 75-percent reduction If the Greens are not successful in forming a of the military budget, and many other planks to national third party, then-perhaps they could tip the achieve "fundamental societal changes." scales in crucial legislative races while continuing It is not yet a complete vision of how Ameri- to build a grassroots foundation for long-term ,'h i/ ".' can policy should look, but it is a good start in the change. This is their challenge and opportunity. "Protecting Biological Diversity right direction. in the Wild Rockies Bioregion" Greens recognize the interrelatedness of our • November 1,2&3, 1990, University Center, Jrd Floor, University of Montana. Missoula most pressing problems: rainforest destruction and Matthew Gilbert was the site coordinator for Admission $5 (good for all three days)

land reform, urban decay and military spending, the Greens national gathering in Estes Park, Colo. Sponsored by the Badger Chapter, Alliance rcr the Wild Rockies, and the Wilderness Inslitute FlH"information e Wild Rockies Box 87)1, Mis