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Show Al4 _The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Thursday,May 27,1999 Is Lawmaker Wily When It Comesto Killing Pesky Coyotes? Houseagricultural panel chairmanbenefits directlyfrom federal program he champions. It removes predatorsthatthreaten livestock THE WASHINGTONPOST WASHINGTON — Aschairman of the House Appropriations agriculture subcommittee, Rep. Joe Skeen, R-N.M., has beena fierce defenderof a small federal program to kill animal predators that threaten ranchers’ livestock. The people who have tried to cut its funding for the past two years, he says, are ‘‘self-appoint- ed saviors” who “don't know anything about it and don’t care anything about it.” What Skeen doesn’t mentionis that he has benefited from the program for more than15 years, inviting federal employees onto his 15,000-acre New Mexico ranch to eliminate the coyotes and bobcats that menacehis sheep andcattle. Skeen’s attempt to defeat proposals to eliminate $7 million for the program in the Agriculture Department's budget does not violate House ethics rules, according to several experts. But it has prompted criticism from environmentalists and some public watchdog groups, who question the propriety of the chairman’s aggressive efforts to preserve a program that helps him directly. “It's a public outrage,” said Friends of the Earth legislative director Courtney Cuff. “We're using public dollarsto kill public wildlife on public and private lands to benefit public ranchers, including Mr. Skeen. It does seem like a conflict of interest.” Skeen said hisposition as a beneficiary “doesn’t bother meatall,” and an aide said he deserved the same protection as other taxpayers. Agriculture departmentofficers visited Skeen’s ranch 99 times from October 1991 to July 1996, according to federal records, killing a total of three coyotes. “It's self-preservation,” Skeen said. “If we didn’t doit, I'd be out of business.” Under House ethics rules, members are supposed to refrain from voting on legislation where they have “a direct per- sonal and pecuniaryinterest” but “where Jan Baran, who addedthat any questions concerning a conflict of interest could be raised during a campaign. “It’s not a principle that requires recusal just because you have a financial benefit along with other people who are similarlysituated,” said Baran, a lawyer who has advised Republicans on ethics issues. “If a member of Congress recuses himself or herself, there is no one else who can vote for {his or her constituents].” Defenders of the program, including the Clinton administration, argue that legislation affected a class as distinct from individuals, a member might vote.” Agricultural Departmentofficials esti- cutting its budget would hurt livestock owners and underminesafety programs mate that 9,700 ranchers participate in the predator control program. Belonging to a general class like ranchers would not ordinarily prompt a lawmakerto abstain from voting, according to ethics expert conservative groups contend the program wastes taxpayers’ funds, occasionally But environmentalists and somefiscal kills unintended animals and uses cruel methods, such as propelling the poison sodium cyanide into the faces of coyotes. Home-Schooler Scores a Ist in Geography Bee Now a call THE ASSOCIATEDPRE! WASHINGTON — David Beihl became the first home-schooled student to win the National Geography Bee, attributing his success Wednesdayto ‘‘study andprayer” —and perhapsa little knowledge of the weather. Beihl, 13, of Saluda, rectly answered that “La } is the Spanish name for the weather condition characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial region of the east- ern Pacific Ocean. “T've had lots of time to study | from the road My schedule is moreflexible than some other schools,” said Beihl, taught at home since kindergar- ten. He outlasted Jason Bors- chow, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Saint John’s School in Con- dado, just outside San Juan, Puer- to Rico. Borschow answered“El Nifio,” to the weather question in the championship roundof the soci- PSEUCT Ld 4 ety’s nationwide geography com- petition. The language's male gender characterizes warm weather conditions, said modera- tor Alex Trebek, who usually serves as host of the television gameshow “Jeopardy.” “You have to be calm and not blurt the answer out. You have to take your time and considerall the possibilities,” said Borschow a third-time finalist who admits that in the end hedid not follow his own advice Both Borschow and Beih! were returning participants to the annual competition. Borschow represented Puerto Rico last year With AT&T Personal Network, your calling card and wireless calls can cost the sameas calling from home. and in 1997. Beihl represented South Carolina last Beihl received a $25,000 schol- arshipfromthesociety and a seven-daytrip to Sydney, * One lowrate, |0¢ a minute. No matter how youcall Australia. from this year’s corporate spon- 10¢ a minute on calli sor, Bank One. Borschow got a $15,000 schol- arship for secondplace. Tanveer Ali, reless calls from your home are charge for lo distance i¢ a minute on w 13. an eighth-grader from Flint, Mich.. third-place card calls, with no service charge won $10,000 for his finish He attends with no ext Carman-Ainsworth Junior High O¢ a minute on long distance calls from home. international calls. School in Flint Washington State WA Pte Wants to Halt Pollutant Releases 10¢ / minute * One network. One nui imberto Cal personalized service One monthlybill. * You canalso save on internet access. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS YAKIMA. Wash. — Twenty five years from now, Washington state hopes to havenearly elimi nated the release of long-lasting pollutants. such as dioxin and mercury, that build up in people animals and the environment The state wants to halt dis. charges of certain chem —Jarer F ersonal etwor and byproducts known as PBT's — for persistent. bio-accumulative and toxic, Althoughdata about the health and environmental risks are not conclusive, the state Department of Ecology believes thereis suffi 1 800 4 ATT NOW cient evidence lo warrant concern and action, director Tom Fitzsim. www.att.com mons said Department representatives have been touring the state since January, gauging public response to the idea of trying end the release of these chemicals. The fifth and final me g was sched uled Wednesday night in Yakima For now. the department is working off a list of 27 chemicals Mv thresholdsin persistence, bio-ac- cumulation andtoxicity PBTs have many sources, in cluding pesticides, consumer products, industry. cars, incin tors, fertilizers andforest fires. The 27 chemicals share thefol lowing charact istics they per sist in ecosystems, breaking down slowly, if at all; they collect in the tissuesoffish, animals andplants becoming more concentrated as they moveup the food chain; and the symptoms of contamination may t not be immediate, with the dramatic health effects times showing upin subse quent generations . W Sa v \oGan ocoen ‘ v v moo ‘ v al Day! Ca SALT ARE onem and byproducts that meet certain ws r ‘ w te a Sate We at COTY sanoy ! “ |
