Tweets,

Sorry to post a sober political statement (not usually my style ;-)). =
But, I just shot this off to the White House in the other Washington. =
If I had Linda Smith's, Randy Tate's or Slick Slade's email addresses =
handy, I'd revise the letter some and give them each a copy too (anyone =
know them off-hand?). Don't know if anyone else might get inspired or =
want to plagarize.=20

BTW, just had a Screech Owl hooting in the back yard here in W Oly. =
Heard him/her the night the moon was full, as well. Haven't heard any =
responses.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Wash
festuca at olywa.net

Dear President Clinton,

You (or, I presume your staff who reads these messages) need to be aware =
of the great losses to the People of the Pacific Northwest. You are =
flying out to Portland tomorrow on a great whirlwind media blitz =
fact-finding tour. =20

I pray that you will do your utmost to assist those who have lost their =
homes and livlihoods in our most recent 100-year flood.

Bear in mind, however, the old Chinese saying that "..to control the =
mountain is to control the valley." The implication of this should be =
obvious after your tour. We have already over-logged our mountains and =
hillsides. Our streams are choked with the silt and gravel from ten =
thousand clear-cuts. The water has nowhere to go except over the =
Rivers' banks.

The people of the Northwest sacrificed millions of dollars worth of =
salmon fishing opportunity in 1995 to pass as many depressed wild coho =
and chinook stocks as possible to the spawning grounds. Last weeks =
Flood destroyed the 1995 salmon spawn and made a mockery of the efforts =
of thousands of people to protect the salmon runs.

Why? Because the flooding was AMPLIFIED by the effects of watershed =
damage caused by:

Clear-Cut Logging
Urban Development
Suburban Sprawl

Our floodplains are shot. Our cities, suburbs, 'Urban Growth Areas', =
and other developments dump storm water runoff from impermeable roofs, =
parking lots and lawns into the salmon streams - blowing out the salmon =
eggs or covering them with feet of silt. The forests are gone that once =
held thousands of gallons of water per acre suspended in their branches =
after a 5-inch rain. The water flow peaks in a terrible intensity that =
moves the spawning gravel from the redds and sloughs adjacent soils into =
the streambed. Last week these flows washed out homes, roads, and =
bridges and killed livestock and children!

I ask you to do your utmost to turn around the environmental degradation =
legislation that has been recently passed. Beginning with killing the =
Salvage Rider - in its entirety.

The people of this region can't take much more of Government saving us =
from environmental protection.

Sincerely,

Jonathon D Anderson
2102 Walnut Road NW
Olympia, WA 98502
festuca at olywa.net