pudge's Journal: Skykomish Scaremongering

American Rivers, a national environmental group, has been drafted in the fight over growth management in Snohomish County, WA, where I live. Skykomish River is, according to their annual report, the fourth "most endangered river" in the United States.

It's a ridiculous claim on its face. The river is in great shape, one of the healthiest in the state, but they claim it is endangered because it is threatened by "runaway development," that "[w]ithout a strong plan to manage growth, runaway development will damage the health of the river and diminish the quality of life for watershed residents."

No one could disagree with this; but there is such a plan, and the state's Growth Management Act mandates such a plan. The state says that the county should expect 285,000 new residents in the next 20 years, and the county council is looking to direct 85 percent of new development over that period to urban areas, while carefully balancing other development with the obligation to protect resources like the Skykomish.

Let us be clear: the dangers to the "clear, clean water and the salmon, steelhead, and char that swim in it" are invented. Current law and practice and the proposed plans all protect these things. This American Rivers campaign is not about protecting the environment, it is about preventing new development.

Endagered river?

[nocomment]

Now I used to live in Fresno CA, and you wanna talk endagered rivers? There's a place on HIghway 99 where you drive over the "Fresno river" (there's a sign on the freeway that says so) and it's jsut a brown sandy ditch. No water anywhere. Maybe they used a broken abacus to run their figures through?

Re:Endagered river?

[pudge]

No, it is intentional. They pick healthy rivers that they can get people to scream about. It's all political, and has nothing to do with science or figures.

Re:Endagered river?

[Jhon]

You should drive over the Los Angeles river. As you approach, you see a warm, attractive sign which pictures a serene water fowl standing in pleasent waters. As you cross the "river", you see a gray, concrete wash.

I have a plan.

[Talinom]

Let us, as a people, all kill ourselves. With humanity out of the way nature will be allowed to prosper and achieve its perfect balance.

1. Forest fires caused by lightning will be allowed to run their course without human intervention. I seem to recall President Reagan allowing such a thing to happen. Ancient forests will be vulnerable again.
2. Flooding will be allowed to happen creating wetlands where us pesky humans used to live.
3. Toxic waste dumping (often blamed for gigantic foam formation) won't happen lik