On Wed, 21 Jan 1998, Tim Cullinan wrote:

> There is a good chance that in the next day or two, stories will begin
> appearing in the news media reporting that the Washington State Department of
> Natural Resources (DNR) has approved an application by the SDS Lumber Company
> to log a Spotted Owl nesting site in the Columbia Gorge region.

Well, Tim, I sure appreciated "the rest of the story". It is amazing
sometimes how the newspapers can write a story so it is absolutely
unfathomable. This morning's Olympian ran the story but the story
gave the impression that DNR provided the permit to log the Spotted
Owl nest and SDS officials were left wondering what was going on and
saying that they were going to consult with lawyers about the whole
matter. Well, to most readers, including me, you wonder why SDS
officials would be perplexed to have a permit they submitted approved.
After all, when you apply for a permit, don't you usually expect it
to be approved? Do most people get their permit approved and immediately
seek out their lawyer's advice on what to do next?

Anyway, once I read your message, I realized how seriously confusing the
Olympian story is. The background relative to "takings" and the Company's
expectation for permit denial is a very important part of the story.

Kelly McAllister