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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2019)
A4 THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, NOvEmbER 21, 2019 OPINION editor@dailyastorian.com KARI BORGEN Publisher DERRICK DePLEDGE Editor Founded in 1873 JEREMY FELDMAN Circulation manager JOHN D. BRUIJN Production manager CARL EARL Systems manager GUEST COLUMN Let’s work together on salmon he Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coa- lition is looking forward to another year of working together to accomplish responsible management through responsible leadership. We formed the coalition of tribal, state and local policy leaders, sport and commercial fishermen, conserva- tion groups, scientists, business and oth- ers following the inaugural Billy Frank Jr. Pacific Salmon Sum- mit in March 2018. Our goal is to return to the kind of cooperation that has always been the key to natural resources man- agement in our region. Earlier this month, LORRAINE we presented our priori- LOOMIS ties at the second Salmon Summit. They include restoring and protecting disappearing salmon habitat, enhancing hatchery pro- duction and management of seal and sea lion populations. We are advocating for expanding salmon habitat by supporting protec- tion of streamside habitat through uni- form, science-based requirements across the region. That means creating healthy streamside buffers with plenty of mature trees and vegetation that keep water tem- peratures low, stabilize riverbanks and contribute to diverse in-stream habitat for salmon. We are working to revise habitat stan- dards in the state’s Growth Manage- ment Act and other land use protection guidelines from one of no net loss to one T The Cowlitz Tribe is coordinating a project that will re-create more natural conditions on the South Fork Grays River in southeast Pacific County. of net gain. We know that we are los- ing salmon habitat faster than it can be restored and that the status quo does not lead to salmon recovery. We also advo- cate for a statewide permit tracking sys- tem to create transparency, accountabil- ity and efficiency in tracking land use decisions. Healthy habitat is critical for both nat- urally spawning and hatchery salmon to sustain their populations. Until hab- itat can be restored, hatcheries remain key to salmon recovery. The Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition supports increased state, federal and other funding to pro- vide for increased salmon production and maintenance of state, federal, tribal and nonprofit hatchery facilities in the region. We also support increased hatchery production in key watersheds to produce salmon for Indian and non-Indian fisher- ies and contribute to prey availability for southern resident orcas based on the lat- est science. We know that predation by pinnipeds, such as harbor seals and California sea lions, on both adult and juvenile salmon is out of balance and slowing salmon recovery significantly. Harbor seal pop- ulations in the Salish Sea alone have grown from about 8,500 to nearly 80,000 in the past two decades. It has been doc- umented that seals and sea lions are eat- ing more than six times the number of salmon harvested by fishermen. Our coalition is developing recom- mendations to maintain stable seal and sea lion populations that won’t under- mine salmon recovery efforts. As a first step we are calling for an assessment of the status of pinniped pop- ulations in this region to determine the optimal sustainable populations of har- bor seal and sea lion stocks that won’t slow salmon recovery. If need be, we support lethal removal of problem ani- mals in Puget Sound similar to efforts on the Columbia River. There are no more easy answers when it comes to salmon recovery. Those got used up a long time ago. What we are left with is hard work. We can only be successful if we work together to do what we agree is necessary, then speak that truth together to everyone who lives here. The Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Coalition was developed to honor Billy’s legacy by connecting the best in all of us to face the challenges before us and do the work needed to maintain the health, wealth and culture of our region. Lorraine Loomis is the chairwoman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Unwarranted his letter is in support of Tiffiny Mitch- ell. The use of a recall petition in this case is unwarranted. Recall is a means of removing an official due to misconduct. The petitioners allege no misconduct by Rep. Mitchell. They want to remove her from office because they don’t like how she voted on issues. If we recalled every official who cast a vote we don’t like, our system of repre- sentative democracy would break down. In a democracy we rely on elections, not recalls, to remove from office people with whom we disagree. KYLENE QUINN Astoria T Politics at its worst oo many folks these days mistakenly say an impeachable offense is anything a majority of the U.S. House of Represen- tatives says it is. If politics were all that mattered instead of the Constitution, all presidents could be easily removed at any time with just a majority vote by political opponents. The Constitution says the president “shall be removed from office on impeach- ment for, and conviction of, treason, brib- ery, or other high crimes and misdemean- ors.” The words “other” and “high” mean the president’s conduct should be as seri- ous as treason and bribery, which are fed- eral crimes. At the very least, therefore, an impeachable offense should rise to the level of a federal crime. Former President Bill Clinton lied about his sexual activity to a federal judge. And told others to lie when they were under oath. Both are federal crimes, and he was impeached. But a majority of senators decided Clinton’s lies under oath about his sexual escapades weren’t serious enough to remove him from office. Former President Richard Nixon com- mitted federal crimes having nothing to do with sex. Nixon resigned because he knew he faced certain impeachment and convic- tion by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. All Republicans in Congress oppose impeachment. Democrats aren’t showing in any way President Donald Trump commit- ted a federal crime. Democrats are disgracing themselves and the country by casting aside the Con- stitution to run a political campaign in Congress with taxpayer money. Trying to impeach President Trump without criminal conduct is politics at its worst. DON HASKELL Astoria T Act now t appears that another government shut- down is being threatened. The only branch of this nation’s military that does not get paid during a government shutdown is the U.S. Coast Guard. This is because they are under the auspices of the I LETTERS WELCOME Letters should be exclusive to The Astorian. Letters should be fewer than 250 words and must include the writer’s name, address and phone number. You will be contacted to confirm authorship. All letters are subject to editing for space, grammar, and factual accuracy. Only two letters per writer are allowed each month. Letters written in response to other letter writers should address the issue at hand and, rather than mention- U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and not the Pentagon. During last year’s shutdown, HR 367 was introduced in the House and S. 21 was introduced in the Senate. Both were referred to as “Pay Our Coast Guard” bills. Both had widespread bipartisan support. Unfortunately, both pieces of legisla- tion died of neglect when the shutdown ended. Neither Nancy Pelosi nor Mitch McConnell ever brought them to the floor for a vote, and no one raised their hand and asked, ”Why not?” Anyone who lives on any coast or any major waterway of America understands and appreciates the importance of the Coast Guard’s mission. They look out for us, they keep drugs off our streets and shipborne commerce flowing. It is time for us to be there for them. I’m calling on everyone who reads this letter to do what I did today — write and call your elected representatives. Demand ing the writer by name, should refer to the headline and date the letter was published. Discourse should be civil and people should be referred to in a respectful manner. Letters in poor taste will not be printed. Send via email to editor@dailyas- torian.com, online at dailyastorian. com/submit_letters, in person at 949 Exchange St. in Astoria or 1555 North Roosevelt in Seaside, or mail to Let- ters to the Editor, P.O. Box 210, Asto- ria, OR 97103. action. Be it snail mail, email, a tweet or phone call, do whatever works best for you. If enough folks add their voices, they will understand they cannot ignore this issue. It is unconscionable that we are in this position — again. Solutions have already been studied, legislation written and passed through committees. The time for Congress to act is now, before another shutdown. BILL GRAFFIUS Gearhart Counterproductive am writing with reference to an article in The Astorian, “Warrenton wants water equity” (Nov. 13), in which it is mentioned that “Mayor Henry Balensifer … has estab- lished the new mantra ‘Warrenton for War- renton.’” This is an extremely dangerous point of view for the mayor to propose, I and I hope that the county commission and leaders of other municipalities in the county speak up strongly against it. It is certainly not good for the citizens of Clatsop County, regardless of how Mayor Balensifer might think it plays to his image within his own narrow constituency. The issue at stake here — and it is an issue of great importance, urgency and long-term impact — is how will future land develop- ment take place within Warrenton and the adjacent areas within its zone of planning influence. The simple fact is that nearly all the developable land remaining within Clat- sop County is located in or around Warren- ton. Evidence to date suggests that the land planning and development process within Warrenton and these surrounding areas has been, at best, haphazard, and, at worst, cha- otic. To prevent future land development within Clatsop County, i.e., Warrenton and its environs, from following these harmful precedents, leadership that looks beyond narrow self-interest is mandatory. I urge Sen. Betsy Johnson, the county commissioners, the county manager and Mr. Balensifer’s colleagues within Clatsop County to educate him on why “Warrenton for Warrenton” is a most unwelcome and counterproductive slogan, and should be abandoned as soon as possible. BARRY L. PLOTKIN Astoria Vote Marie uite simply, Marie Yovanovitch for president. MARY TANGUAY WEBB Astoria Q
