Letters for March 6, 2024
Slaughter the birds to save the fish?
Two recent S-R Opinion columns expose the glaring contradictions, irrationality and hypocrisy of the arguments for breaching the Lower Snake River Dams and replacing their power generation with fluctuating energy production from wind turbines. The first was Sue Lani Madsen’s “Lessons not learned yet on industrial power facility siting,” Feb. 22. The second was Jim Matheson’s and our Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ “Lower Snake River Dams vital to local economy,” Feb. 28.
Madsen’s column points out that “wind farms” cause the widespread slaughter of birds and bats that has seriously damaging impacts on their associated ecosystems. So, it’s sheer contradiction, irrationality and hypocrisy to demand the destruction of the LSR dams to save the salmon runs there while knowing that inconsistent, unreliable “wind farms” will have to be built to replace the dependable, clean energy they generate and consequently ravage avian ecosystems. So, it’s “slaughter the birds to save the salmon?” Put that on billboards, why don’t they?
Jim and Cathy’s column speaks to the crucial need for a reliable, continuous supply of electric power for our daily lives and businesses. Solar power has the same inconsistency problem as wind. The only sources of rapid response to fluctuations in electric power demand are natural gas, coal and hydropower dams. Nuclear can’t respond fast enough. Coal isn’t acceptable now. Natural gas still produces carbon dioxide. That leaves hydropower dams as the only carbon-free backup for rapid response to sudden power fluctuations.
Breaching the dams is a truly “dim-watted” idea.
Bob Strong
Spokane
Fight for democracy, not Putin
Will she act courageously? Thousands of Russians had the courage to attend Alexei Navalny’s funeral procession and yell, “Putin is a murderer!” They risked arrest and prison – perhaps even death – to stand up for democracy. Thousands more Ukrainians courageously risk their lives every day fighting to preserve democracy. Voting against providing aid to Ukraine is aligning yourself with Putin and against democracy. Now that Cathy McMorris Rodgers is no longer beholden to the MAGA crowd to hold office, will she act courageously and vote in favor of aid to Ukraine? Or will she continue to vote as instructed by Mr. Trump? It should be any easy decision, requiring minimal courage.
Roger Chase
Spokane
Stadium questions sorted out
Criticism of Spokane Public Schools’ downtown stadium location is largely misguided – because it’s based on a misguided “advisory” election. That ill-advised election was launched by City Hall (not SPS), which promoted the downtown stadium site.
Unfortunately, the downtown site was presented without answers to obvious questions, such as: What happens when the stadium eliminates half the arena parking? “Not sure.” Will we have to pay for parking? “We hope not.” Have you consulted the PFD which owns this site? “Not much.” Any joint-use agreement in the hopper? “Nope.” So, who operates and maintains it? “Good question!” Have you analyzed the economic benefits? “No, but isn’t that self-evident?”
No surprise: People voted against what was then a poorly developed concept. Another oops: 5,000 Mead and Cheney school district residents within city boundaries voted, while 10,000 noncity residents, mostly Ferris-area folks, couldn’t vote. It was a mess.
Fortunately, answers to these hard questions were sorted out. Parking was added – free for school events. An SPS/PFD partnership lets SPS use the facility – for free. The PFD runs the place – saving SPS $30 million over time, essentially refunding all school dollars spent on the stadium. Other benefits: $11 million added economic activity, great concerts, two pro soccer teams, the best game attendance in 20 years, all gate revenue funding student activities and more.
Had these answers been available in 2018, it would have changed many votes.
Instead of punishing SPS for betrayal, we should thank it for its courage, stewardship – and a great civic asset.
Steve McNutt
Spokane