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THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, NOvEmbER 21, 2019
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation manager
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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