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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS Opinion 4 WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 1995 Letters to the Editor What is your opinion? This newspaper welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject. Anything of a libelous nature or defamation of character will not be considered for publication. Please limit your letters to 300 words or less. Letters must be signed and include your full name, address and telephone number. Thank you for your interest. Governor right about mill NOTE: The following letter is quoted from the Arizona Republic of Friday, March 17, 1995. It was a Letter to the Editor. In defending the Endangered Species Act, environmentalists have criticized Governor Symington for claiming the act was responsible for the closure of the Fredonia sawmill. The facts support him. Two species of birds, the northern goshawk and the Mexican spotted owl, were used by environmentalists to drive the annual timber harvest on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest from 60 million board feet a year to effectively zero. The goshawk saga began with a big bang June 1, 1991, when The Republic ran a front-pag-e story about the intention of Lewis & Roca, a local law firm, to sue the Forest Service because logging practices in Arizona and New Mexico were driving the goshawk to extinction. The ensuing melee involved the n usual task force, committee, scientific studies, peer review, tons of lawyers, millions ofdollars and thousands of hours approach to problem solving, for which the federal government is famous. The Forest Service panicked when its management practices for a species were challenged. The reason: fear that the goshawk would be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, transmanagement of ferring Arizonas national forests to a rival bureaucracy, the Fish & Wildlife Service. The Forest Service solution involved managing the North Kaibab exclusively for the welfare of the goshawk. This was a prescription everyone came to hate. Environmentalists were incensed because logging to enhance the prey base of the goshawk was still allowed. Biologists were afraid the solution developed would be inappropriately applied to other national forests, where conditions were blue-ribbo- non-endanger- de-fac- to ed 45 days a year. As a postscript, the goshawk saga may have ended quietly in late 1994 with an underreported press release from two groups of scientists. In a joint statement criticizing the Forest Service goshawk policies, the Wildlife Society and the American Ornithological Union addressed the status of Lewis and Rocas nearly extinct bird as folllows: There is no data demonstrating that northern goshawks are threatened or endangered (or even declining) in the Southwest or elsewhere in North America. The Mexican spotted owls contribution to the Fredonia closure is much simpler. There are no breeding populations of spotted owls on the North Kaibab in spite of an unsuccessful, ineffort to find one. tensive U.S. Fish and the However, Wildlife has recently proposed of the North that about one-haKaibab forested area be set aside as potential habitat for the Mexican spotted owl. Coincidentally, the proposal covers most of the areas that have not been devoted to the goshawk, which leaves the Forest Service with no management options on the forest and the Fredonia sawmill with no timber to economically cut. I can testify as to the reason to close the mill, because I made the decision. Kaibab Industries was committed to continuing at Fredonia at 50 percent of normal capacity, utilizing a much smaller fraction of the annual growth from the North Kaibab. Had it not been for the Endangered Species Act, and its inflexible provisions, our company could have fulfilled that com10-ye- ar lf mitment. Enjoys Coxs humor trying to take down that guy. He says, We sure have a lot of Dear Editor: lion kills down here. Thanks to Allen Cox of May I set the record straight Orderville who writes the inter- about these comments by esting, amusing articles that Messerly? The day after Thanksenlighten life! giving, 1989, a friend and I were They are most enjoyable, so hunting lions with hounds on keep them coming! the Kaibab National Forest in Gerta Palmer northern Arizona. We had Alton turned the hounds loose on an Contrary to officers opinion, trophy deer wasnt poached Dear Editor: I feel it is necessary to clear up some misconceptions that may be occurring because of an article entitled, Poaching, that appeared in The Tribune Feb. 21. 1 live in Fredonia, Arizona, A. M. Whiting and I learned of this article by Chairman & CEO word of mouth, as we do not Kaibab Industries receive The Tribune. I am an In gratitude Dear Editor: In gratitude, we give heartfelt thanks to many friends, relatives, Troys staff and who so tirelessly contributed so much of their time and efforts to help us during a most difficult time. The love, care and respect extended to us by many, many people is greatly appreciated during this time of healing. Many, many thanks to many, different. Industry was perplexed because as more searches for goshawks were conducted, more goshawks were found. The North Kaibab shortly became saturated with goshawk territories in which no logging could be conducted during the mating many people. Lucille, Vivienne-Caroseason. This reduced the logand Linda Jake ging season from six months to n, avid hunter and sportsman. After reading Division ofWild-lif- e Resources officer Doug Messerls opinion of the deer mount in Kellys Country Conoco in Kanab, I became furious. That mount belongs to me. Messerly states, Under one large mount, a sign explains the animal was killed by a mountain lion. (There is no such sign, and never has been. There is a photo on sale of this mount where it explains how I obtained it.) I quote the article. Agent Messerly wonders why a cougar would go after such a trophy. If I was a lion I think I would go after the little fellas before I risked hurting myself Southern Utah News AAA Deadlines AAA FRIDAY 1 PM See LETTERS, Page 5 COtOR-COUN- TR - S- HOMttfOWN - Nt WSPAPER V The Southern Utah News (ISSN No. 0049-165is published every N. at Main 26 Wednesday St., Kanab, Utah 84741 . The SUNews serves Kane County, Utah, and the Arizona Strip. Address communications to 26 N. Main St., Kanab, Utah 84741 , or Fax 801 telephone 801 44-2900, 44-2926. Advertising rates available upon request. Second Class postage paid at Kanab, Utah 84741 . Newsstand price 500 per copy. Yearly subscription rates to Kane County addresses and Fredonia and Moccasin, Arizona, $22; others $30 (out of U.S. $50). The SUNews reserves the right to edit or reject any advertisement or submitted items. 9) Dennis and Dixie Brunner Publishers and Editor Ruth Koontz Dillon Cunningham Production Staff Postmaster: Send change of address cards to - 26 N. Main St, Kanab, UT 84741 Barbara Pyles Feature Writer Myrna Cox Orderville News Richard Negus Kanab News Barb Kimball Fredonia News |