Eugene weekly., April 21, 2005, Page 6, Image 6

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6 APRIL 21, 2005
TO THE EDITOR
your congressional delegation and tell them
to stop the logging of old-growth forests.
Your children and grandchildren will thank
you for it.
Anthony Cantarine
Eugene
TIME TO GET SERIOUS
I appreciate EW’s 3/24 report, and Erin
Cianchette’s 3/31 letter, on the “Oregon Fair
Energy Bills,” HB 3135 and SB 527, which I
introduced with Sen. Bill Morrisette and
other colleagues. We are striving to pass these
bills because we believe that the public needs
more input into the process of siting energy
facilities, and because now is the time to get
serious about supporting renewable energy.
Currently, the state’s Energy Facility
Siting Council has the complete authority to
overrule local land use laws when siting
power plants. The Oregon Fair Energy Act
will provide more opportunity for area resi-
dents to complain about the placement of pol-
luting facilities. It will give local government
a place at the table and the ability to stand up
to powerful special interests when potential
new facilities would violate their land use
laws.
We must ensure an adequate and sustain-
able supply of energy, as well as a thriving
environment, to future generations; but we
currently have much more electrical capacity
in the permitting process than we will need in
the foreseeable future. These bills are a first
critical step towards responsible energy plan-
ning in Oregon.
Rep. Phil Barnhart
Central Lane and Linn Counties
CHEMICAL REACTION
I have been shopping at Eugene Hardware
for 30 years. I just stay away from the garden
chemical section.
Last week I went in for a garden tool and
found that upon exiting 5 to 7 minutes later,
my clothes reeked of the chemical smell and I
started reacting right away: red face, itchy
eyes. I had noticed a pickup-size load of
Roundup stockpiled right behind the check-
out counter. The next day I had a very cordial
meeting with the manager in his parking lot.
He offered to have my purchases brought out
to me in the parking lot if I called ahead.
I recommend this idea to everyone con-
cerned about the presence of chemicals at the
places they like to shop. Of course, sticking
to all-organic venues is a very good idea, too.
Jynn Bowers
Eugene
NATIONAL DEBT
Hey kids, I would say thanks for the loan,
but my generation has no real plan to rectify
this stupendous national debt that grows to
keep our hyper-consumptive dream afloat.
We’ve spent all of our money. Now we’re
spending yours. A leader with imperialistic
visions of historic glory will do that to an
economy. You will realize this as you inherit
the consequences of our spending spree. Of
course we are doing all of this for you. So
hang in there.
Chris N. Hallett
Eugene
TALKIN’ REVOLUTION
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