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THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, JuNE 9, 2022
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
DERRICK DePLEDGE
Editor
Founded in 1873
SHANNON ARLINT
Circulation Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
GUEST COLUMN
Healthy rivers and a healthy economy
S
even years ago, when the ocean
temperatures in the Pacific were
in a periodic cooler cycle, NOAA
Fisheries reported the most productive
decade of fish runs since record keeping
began at Bonneville Dam in 1938.
“The success of this fall Chinook run
reflects the region’s commitment and
the collaborative spirit that has made it
possible,” said Paul Lumley, the exec-
utive director of the
Columbia River Inter-
Tribal Fish Commission
at the time.
Warmer ocean tem-
peratures and discour-
aging returns followed.
Cooler waters recently
ALEX
have brought some
McGREGOR
improvement. The col-
laborative spirit and
commitment remain vital. Breaching
the dams won’t get us there with conse-
quences dire for our farms, our commu-
nities and our ability to provide bounti-
ful crops to feed a hungry nation and the
world.
Farmers have worked hard to meet
the challenge of producing bountiful
crops while reducing waterborne soil
erosion 85% and helping improve air
quality, too — reducing wind-blown
dust sixfold and reducing stubble burn-
ing 22-fold.
Moving what we now move by the
Snake River waterway would require
5 million more gallons of diesel fuel.
Expensive, to be sure, but even more
costly to our environment. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s
emissions lab reports that tugs produce
80% to 85% less hydrocarbons than
trains or trucks, far less carbon monox-
ide and nitrous oxide, too.
Railroads cannot handle the load
they have today, much less several mil-
lion more tons of crops and nutrients
Associated Press
Salmon passing through the fish ladder at the Bonneville Dam.
to nourish them. We’d be asking that
of our rail system should the lower
Snake River dams be breached. Deputy
Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh
describes a system in disarray: “Increas-
ingly unreliable railway service is push-
ing American farmers and ranchers to
the breaking point. … When railroads
charge unreasonable rates and provide
poor service, farmers struggle to make
ends meet, consumers pay higher prices
at the grocery store and the United
States becomes less competitive on the
global market.”
Scientists at the NOAA Fisheries Sci-
ence Center, in a peer-reviewed 2021
study, warn of the biggest challenge
salmon face — potential future losses
of 90% of the fish at sea from long-term
warming of the ocean.
“It’s horrendous,” lead author Lisa
Crozier stated. “I wish I had a magic
answer … but it’s the reality of where
we are right now with the amount
of CO2 we have pumped into the
atmosphere.”
We can, and must, do better than that.
The substantial investment Con-
gress made in its infrastructure package
for salmon offers hope — $2.8 billion
for habitat restoration, hatcheries, cul-
vert replacement and most importantly,
research.
With survival through the hydro-sys-
tem already high, fisheries ecologist
Crozier puts “more faith in actions
like improving coastal habitat, reduc-
ing species that both prey on Chinook
and those that compete with them for
resources, including more abundant
hatchery salmon and steelhead, and
slowing climate change.”
We agree with her that “the goal is
for people to come together and look at
holistic solutions.”
By doing so, we can make real prog-
ress through science, hard work and a
shared goal to help our iconic North-
west fish while keeping our economy
strong. Working together we can build
upon a shared commitment and col-
laborative spirit, as Paul Lumley of the
Inter-Tribal Fish Commission put it sev-
eral years ago.
As I noted at the outset, we can have
healthy rivers and a healthy economy.
We should accept nothing less.
Alex McGregor is a rancher, wheat
grower, former college professor and
chairman of The McGregor Co. He is
based in Colfax, Washington.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A scenic drive
storia is a town on the edge of our
American continent. A town that
is surrounded by ocean on one side and
mountains on the other.
The main artery going east to
Longview, Washington, and Portland is
U.S. Highway 30. I think how many times
over the years have I, and others, traveled
this road.
Starting in downtown Astoria, many
vehicles seem to get so anxious to get
through town, almost like the starting gate
at a race track, gearing up to make the run
up curves and down curves, turning as
they go.
The speed warning signs are a nuisance.
I do heed the warning signs, admittedly
going a little faster here and there, but no
matter, I am tailgated most of the time,
the worst stretch being from Astoria to
Knappa. Aside from an ambulance or rush-
ing to a hospital, I wonder what the hurry
is. I guess we just like to go fast.
There are many beautiful drives, but to
me this is one of the best. From the wind-
ing road, to the fields of trees and other
vegetation, this is a wonderful sight for the
traveler who sees it for the first time.
What a bucolic experience, if you take
the time to enjoy.
So the next time, I will try to remember
my thoughts and appreciate this road, this
beauty — like a perpetual spring.
NORM HOOGE
Astoria
A
Come to realize
’ve come to realize that 24-hours-a-day,
7-days-a-week cable news is doing more
harm than good.
Live stories with limited information
are contorted into hours, turning into a
contest to see who has the largest vocabu-
lary, and who can show the most emotion;
presenting inaccurate information (there is
a need to be first) and turning broadcasters
into instant experts in an unlimited number
of disciplines.
Sometimes less is more. There was a
time when news lasted an hour or two in
the evening.
RICHARD DILLON
Warrenton
I
Turn your lights on
do not understand why some people
drive their automobiles with their head-
lights turned off. It does not cost any more
money to turn them on.
I was driving the black pickup truck
that pulled in front of your car on a late
Saturday morning from Camp Rilea while
you were driving south on U.S. Highway
I
101.
I have had a valid driver’s license since
1961, and have just one traffic ticket, in
1970, and no accidents.
I was wearing my polarized prescrip-
tion glasses, and looked first to my left
and saw no vehicles coming, then looked
right seeing two, far down the road. I then
looked back to my left and again, seeing
no moving cars, and I drove onto the high-
way to turn into the middle turn lane.
I intended to sit there while the two
cars coming from the south passed by. Out
of the corner of my eye, I found a vehi-
cle coming from the north, I stepped on
the gas and I think we missed by perhaps
a foot or so. My truck does not have side
air bags so if you had hit me broadside, I
probably would not be writing this letter
and you probably also would not be feel-
ing so good.
The only thing that I can tell you about
your vehicle is that you did not have any
light turned on. Today has been a dark,
wet, misty day, and your car was invisible
to oncoming traffic.
Please, turn your lights on.
CHUCK MEYER
Astoria
Thoughtful praise
he Thirsty Growler: Astorians gather
to celebrate craft beer” in the June
2 edition of Coast Weekend mentioned
the lush, flowering grounds of the historic
downtown Flavel House Museum.
The beautiful revitalized gardens are
the work of the newly organized Flavel
House Garden Society. We have volun-
teered over 500 hours since last July to
give the community the lush, flowering
historic grounds to enjoy.
If readers or craft beer festival attend-
ees want to help us continue to improve
the Flavel House Museum gardens, we
encourage you to stop by the Carriage
House with a donation so we can continue
with our vision. Or, consider joining us on
Wednesdays at 1 p.m. to garden.
Thank you to William Dean for the
thoughtful praise — we appreciate it.
PAMELA HOLEN
Astoria
‘T
It’s cool
read Chuck Meyer’s “I checked”
response to Kevin W. Swanson’s “Three
thoughts” letter with some interest. At the
same time I was reading Meyer’s letter, “I
checked with several of my friends, and
none of us had much to complain about,
with the possible exception of the price
of gasoline,” the local ice cream wagon,
complete with cheesy music, came by my
house.
I
LETTERS WELCOME
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letters per writer are allowed each
month. Letters written in response
As I purchased two Klondike cook-
ies and creme and one Mrs. Fields bars,
I noticed an “Inflation Donation” sign on
an obvious tip box. I gave the young lady
driving the musical cart a 20 spot for the
$12 worth of ice cream and said, “It’s
yours,” as I walked away.
Swanson claims most Americans are
worse off, and Meyer says the opposite.
Given that the local ice cream lady is solic-
iting “inflation” donations, I would have to
agree that Americans, at the ground level,
are a wee bit worse off than last year.
Last year, I was able to buy my favorite
to other letter writers should address
the issue at hand and should refer to
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Send via email to editor@dailyasto-
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97103.
ice cream bars without a sign pumping me
for gratuities due to poor economic condi-
tions. Considering the variable conditions
required to purchase and distribute ice
cream bars at a profit during times of high
fuel and ice cream prices, I’d say a com-
plaint can arise.
I find my ice cream delivery person can
be quiet and humorous about the obvious
pain involved in today’s economy. I just
hope all citizens can actually “check” as to
how their neighbors are doing.
MATT JANES
Jeffers Garden