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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1978)
/-editorial-> EPA ruling will help The Environmental Protection Agency’s recent ruling that the state of Oregon is in violation of federal clean air standards because of the large amount of open field burn ing performed in the Willamette Valley may well give the anti-field burning forces more strength. But it probably won’t force the state to bum the 50,000 acres or less prescribed by the 1975 legislature and approved by the EPA. The 1977 legislature’s escalation of field burning to 180,000 acres for next year has been contested by the city of Eugene, which sought the ruling on the 1977 burning from the EPA. The ruling calls for the development of a relatively vague plan, saying that “all reasonable measures will be taken in 1978 to alleviate the particulate problem in the Willamette Valley.” The acreage limitation for 1978 may be lowered to compromise the state’s legislation with the city’s demands and the EPA’s regulations. In addition, the state may have to develop a more comprehensive smoke man agement plan, which will have to be approved by the EPA. If the EPA rejects the burning plan, the issue will probably be resolved in the courts. After this summer, the field burning issue will likely be fought out again in the 1979 legislative session. The anti field burning forces will be armed with an EPA ruling that will undoubtedly put pressure on the legislature to further limit field burning. Generally speaking, the anti-field burning people are comprised by environmentalists who see the annual field burning as a blight on the environment, and Eugene indus trialists wno are stymied in expansion plans because field burning smoke takes up too large a percentage of the Eugene area airshed during the late summer months. The Eugene industry interest group and the seed in dustry interest group, who essentially compete for air to foul, gather every other year at the legislature to do battle. Last year, the field burners came out on top. Next year, the anti-field burners may be able to bring the EPA ruling to bear against the field burners. We oppose field burning on environmental grounds. Anyone who has travelled up the Willamette Valley during August knows that the smoke produced by field burning is a blight on the face of Oregon. Field burning is the worst case of neglect of the environment in this state. In spite of the fact that industries in Eugene are trying to limit field burning so that they can expand, it is true that industries here have done far more than the field burners to limit their pollution. A bright day it was, for example, when the “wig wam” slash burners were outlawed. It has been a sincere effort on industry’s part — an effort the seed industry has failed to follow. V. I GAVE UP LETTUCE AND GRAPES IN SUPPORT OF THE UFW TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES, [ SOLD PAY JAPANESE CAR, MY WATCH, AND Mr 'STEREO GAVE UP MY FAVORITE CANDY BAR TO PROTEST EXPLOITATION OF THIRD WORLD BABIES I. SOLD MY BLUE-CHIP STOCKS TO HELP THE STRUGGLING PEOPLE THEN I FOUND OUT EWEB OWNS PART OF THE TROJAN foSy NUCLEAR \j£Jmenace GEE, ITS GOOD TO HA VE A CLEAR CONSCIENCEl 0 0 Page 4 Section A ‘Think before you squeak’ Submitted by Joe Calhoun, ASOCE Administrative Officer As a member of the Student Government of Oregon College of Education, (ASOCE) I would like to interject my reflections both with the demon strators who in a purely token gesture took over the office of Chancellor Lieuallen and the student meet ing with the OSBHE (Oregon State Board of Higher Education). The demonstration did, as the Daily Emerald editorial stated, “accomplish nothing”. The ^omment pertaining to being misdirected is an un derstatement. The term misrepresentation would be more appropriate. Perhaps the students of the Uni versity of Oregon should investigate how many so called University students actually participated in the take over of the Chancellor’s office. On the campus of OCE, we call these dormant supporters of ideal human causes “Kickbacks ”. I apologize for the fact that these humanitarians do not have their own little world of the 1960s in which they can play Robin Hood, El Cid, and Gerald Ford all rolled into one. How many “enraged philanthropic students" would be willing to give up the products sold by companies with interests in South Africa? How many “students” have any idea at all as to what companies maintain these interests? Who is willing to give up their General Electric hair dryer, IBM typewriter, Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo, 3M toilet paper, wonderous Xerox copies, Kodak film and supplies, Exxon credit card, and all the food har vested by John Deere farm machinery? We should think of being honest along with idealistic and not play the game of “do as I say, not as I do”. The one chance that the students had which enabled them to freely discuss in an open meeting all their problems, complaints, and ideas turned into a farce as only four of University of Oregon’s stu dents out of a fairly large campus population showed up for the meeting. The demonstrators proved their ignorance in their demonstrations and the University of Oregon students displayed their ever famous apathy by not showing up to a function created to help them. Maybe next time certain people involved should think before they squeak. And as for the “State Bored", as one student named them, I have never worked with a group of people as responsive and interested in students as the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. The members are intelligent peo ple who will discuss any and all subjects that are sensibly presented. As for the student brigade, my personal advice is as William Shakespeare would put it “Pulleth Out Thy Headeth”. LTD left out We read with interest your re cent editorial (“Another bad park ing plan”, 1/25/78) and are pleased to propose some alterna tives, not only to "parking in Glen wood and hitchhiking”, but to the costs incurred when students commute to the University of Oregon for classes each week day. Specifically, those alternatives include the #5 VIDA, the #10 HAYDEN BRIDGE via U of O, the #12 U of O, #20 THURSTON via U of O, and the U of O Extras. But wait, there’s more! Lane Transit District bus routes are designed to allow timed transfers in a variety of locations, meaning that all roads can lead to the University. Think of it. No more long walks —Letters to and from a parking meter or restricted zone. A significant re duction in the frequency with which you encounter gas price in creases, oil cans, antifreeze, spark plugs, valve jobs, transmis sions, parking permits, insurance premiums (check with your agent, you may be in line for a discount when using the bus), parking tick ets, depreciation ... need we go on? In all seriousness, Lane Transit District is currently used by hun dreds of University students. Buses are clean, economical, energy efficient, operated by driv ers with years of experience and a smile for their riders, and, judging by the phone calls we have re ceived, they’re acceptable to the South University Neighborhood Association. We can understand your un happiness with parking problems encountered around campus, and with the cost of commuting — but didn't we even merit a mention? Gee Wally, say it isn’t so. Rosemary Ross Marketing Director, Lane Transit District Wasted space What a waste of space! Wednesday's article on Ray Byers, the Ducks’ mascot, was the most blatant waste of paper I have seen in four years at this Univer sity. I've always thought that the biggest waste of wood pulp hu mans had devised was toilet paper, until I read Wednesday's article. If I were an Emerald advertiser, I would demand an apology and a refund. Also, writing a joke and trying to pass it off as something interesting and newsworthy to col lege students is a great injustice I’m a reasonable person and I’m only asking for a couple of breaks. Please Emerald, no more trash in the sports page. And do us a favor Ray, wear your head all the time. Quack! Quack! Jack Fields Senior, Journalism/ Political Science The Emerald will accept and try to print all letters and opinion columns containing fair comment on ideas and topics of concern or interest to the University commun ity. Letters and opinions will be run on a first-come, first-served basis. Both let ters and opinion columns must be typewritten, using 65 character margins, and should be triple-spaced. Letters and opinions must be signed and the author’s field of study (or faculty status) noted.
