Editorial
Lfc
Senate's referendum
shows good judgment
We have nothing but praise for the Oregon Senate’s
unanimous decision to offer a voter referendum challenging
federal attempts to select the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as
the country’s first national high-level waste repository.
If the bill passes the House, which is likely, the measure
will go before the voters in a statewide election May 19.
The referendum is needed to help oppose the Depart
ment of Energy’s questionable assessment that Hanford is a
suitable nuclear waste repository. The DOE selected Han
ford as one of three national nuclear dump finalists, and
claims that the site is a qualified candidate to house large
quantities of high-level raioactive waste. But mounting
scientific evidence indicates otherwise.
Geographic surveys show the site’s bedrock is fractured,
and there is enough vertical and horizontal groundwater
flow in the region to warrant contamination concerns. Han
ford lies within seven miles of the Columbia River, and the
DOE can offer no guarantees radioactive matter will not
pollute this major waterway.
Nearly 20 percent of Oregon’s economy depends on the
Columbia, which provides commerce revenue and electrici
ty for the state. Radioactive contamination of this river
would spell economic disaster, as well as taint priceless
habitats, including the Columbia Gorge.
With all this going against Hanford, the DOE's selection
of the site appears puzzling. But the answer lies in
unadulterated politics. The Northwest is sparsely populated
relative to the rest of the nation, so the federal govenment
saw this region as the path of least political resistance.
This issue raises legitimate concerns that the DOE did
not research the Hanford site thoroughly enough before it
made its recommendations. To this effect, the Oregon at
torney general’s office has filed a lawsuit against the DOE on
grounds it has violated specified guidelines in choosing the
site and assessing environmental impacts, as well as
challenging the DOE’s indefinite suspension of in
vestigating a second site — a mandatory provision outlined
in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.
The Oregon referendum mirrors a proposal Washington
voters passed overwhelmingly last fall. Washington voters
passed their referendum by nearly an 80 percent margin.
Oregon’s referendum is expected to pass with similar
success.
The referendum would place the state on “affected
status,” meaning Oregon would qualify for federal funds if
Hanford were to become the nation's nuclear waste
repository, but more importantly, would give the state
power to veto the federal government’s site decision.
If the referendum passes, Oregon voters would be send
ing a strong message to decision makers in Washington,
D.C.. The measure would show consolidated opposition to
the selection of Hanford as a nuclear waste repository.
Moreover, it would demonstrate solidarity with our
neighboring state of Washington, essentially offering a
regional voice of resistance. The Northwest has little to gain
and much to lose if Hanford is selected as a national nuclear
waste dump. The collective resolve Oregon’s referendum
would offer is imperative if the federal government and the
DOE are to be denied a nuclear dump in Northwest soil.
Oregon Daily
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Letters
Undermined
1 have seen numerous articles
on the foolishness of religion by
Professor Rousseve. I wonder,
however, why it is so important
for him to undermine people's
faith in religion. After this
much effort, one would not be
surprised to hear one of his
counseling colleagues ask him.
“When did you start having this
hang-up about religion?”
My religion makes people
happier and makes them feel
better about themselves. It helps
me care more for people. 1 feel
there is a great purpose to life
because I believe that there is
more to existence than this mor
tal portion. Why is it so impor
tant for him to persuade people
that they simply cease to exist
after they die, or that their ex
istence is simply an accident?
Rousseve should be aware
that he cannot prove God does
not exist, or that religion is false
using the scientific method, or
prove for that matter that the
scientific process is any better
than any other process. Nor is
simply dismissing religion as
obviously foolish, irrational and
unscientific a valid argument
against it. Much of science is
based on accepted postulates
that cannot be proven, as is
religion.
Millions of people have used
a very rational method to find
out if a certain religion is true.
They tested it — they read,
studied, pondered, prayed
about it, and tried to live their
religion. They found out, as I
have, that there is a God. and a
religion that increases the joy of
living.
Nelson Farrier
Education
Bartending
As the teacher for the Alcohol
Servers course at Lane Com
munity College, I would like to
clarify our position regarding
the examination fee. In your
editorial (ODE, Feb. 5). you
stated that the “exam fee for the
mandatory course is too high,
ranging from $25 to $45.” LCC
charges a course registration fee
of $20. In addition, there is an
$8.50 charge for the actual ex
amination. This examination
fee is the OLCC charge for the
exam and its grading. The total
for the entire class is $28.50.
The final portion of your
editorial suggested that in
dividuals could simply read the
booklet and take the exam
without spending time in the
classroom. I believe the course
is far more encompassing than
the information included in the
booklet. OLCC requires not
only the examination,
classroom instruciton and a
thorough examination of the
curriculum, but role playing to
emphasize the intervention
techniques explored in the
class. The written examination
is a quantitative means of
evaluation.
Having nearly 20 years of law
enforcement-related experience
and teaching experience, 1 feel 1
bring a far more balanced
perspective, which provides a
more comprehensive ex
perience. The class is diverse,
allowing students to view their
alcohol-server profession in a
broad sense and contribute to
the more responsible despens
ing and consumption of
alcohol. It is for this reason taht
a simple examination alone is
not enough, but offered through
this course.
John E. del Nero
Lane Community College
Instructor
Airport
A consultant for a national
research firm told the Riverfront
Research Park Commission that
Mahlon Sweet Airpost is
“perfectly adequate for the
types of industries (Battelle is)
proposing for the Riverfront
Park.”
Battelle consultant Charles
Minshall of Columbus, Ohio
presented the results of the
$25,000 feasibility study to the
advisory commission in a city
hall meeting January 28.
Mr. Minshall’s opinion seems
at odds with the Register
Guard’s stance on the airport
bond election and also contrasts
with Eugene mayor’s comments
at a work session last month
that he ‘‘personally
doesn’t care” what other city
programs have to be cut — he
intends to see the airport expan
sion funded.
Copies of the Battelle
feasibility study, titled “The
Development of the Riverfront
Research Park” are available for
study at both the Unversity and
city libraries and at th« city
development department in the
lobby of the Eugene Hotel
building.
Fergus McLeth
Eugene