Protecting the river valley

To the editor:

What remains of the old cherry tree now in bloom and the greening grass around me speak of wonder and hope. But whereas in the past, before Iraq, it gave impetus to life, it now serves to remind me that most in this world, including in my own country, live in areas that are polluted to one degree or another. The waterfalls I sought for solace in the spring are no doubt barely running, due to a drought probably caused in part by the worldwide degradation of our environment.

And now my precious river valley is threatened by possible designation as a National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. As I write this letter, the Department of Energy (DOE) has before it an application from the New York Regional Interconnect, Inc. (formerly known as Pegasus) to have us so designated, thereby possibly negating the protection against incompatible uses, such as being a power-line transmission corridor, that we now enjoy by virtue of the Wild and Scenic Rivers legislation.

We don’t have much time, as the DOE may act as early as next month. But we can act now, and must to preserve our quality of life. Go to the website of the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition, www.udpc.net, learn about this issue and join the effort to save the river valley: You can make a difference.

No sitting on the sidelines

To the editor:

Decades ago then-president Johnson had a great idea: let’s propose and pass a Wild and Scenic Rivers Act so that the natural beauty of certain of our rivers can be set aside, nurtured, protected and saved from the encroachment of too much “civilization.”

Another great idea was to designate the Upper Delaware as a river protected under the act. While there was not unanimity hereabouts about that designation back then, and isn’t now, most people have come to appreciate how lucky we are to have in our midst a river that can be appreciated and enjoyed because of the foresight and wisdom of those folks in the 1960s.

Here’s another idea I heard recently: “We can really make a ton of money and political hay by building a high-voltage power line featuring larger-than-life metal towers smack through the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.”

Friends and neighbors, the challenge is here, the fight thrust upon us. This situation requires us to respond as forcefully and with as much vigor and enthusiasm as we can muster. For starters, please attend a rally sponsored by the Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 7 at the Inn at Lackawaxen just over the Roebling Bridge in Pennsylvania.

There are powerful forces supporting the power line. We must array all the resources we can to defeat them. Everyone who has a stake in the preservation of our valley—people whose families have been here for generations, businesses that garner livelihoods from the river, and part-timers who visit on weekends—must make their voices heard loud and clear.

It will involve commitment of both time and money. We need to galvanize all like-minded people into an inexorable movement to derail this thing. No sitting on the sidelines now, no “let-someone-else-do-it” mentality, no excuses. Get involved. Get going. Get it done.

Appreciation from the Beisels

To the editor:

We, the family of Lance Corporal Jacob Beisel, would like to express our sincere appreciation to all of our family, friends and to the community that united to support us in our time of need. Your support and prayers have been encouraging and have given us the strength to persevere through this difficult time. The loss of our hero Jacob is devastating and has forever changed our lives. We ask the community to continue to pray for and to support our troops. Jacob was a proud Marine who laid down his life for his country and to protect the freedoms of our nation. We shall never forget the sacrifice that Jacob made and we will find strength in his courage. May God continue to bless our community and may God Bless America.

“Semper Fi”

Time to build the mushroom plant

To the editor:

The opposition to the Yukiguni mushroom plant has done its job in trying to protect their community. Even though some of the requests and issues they raised were a little extreme, I would want that kind of passion on my team any day. Having said that, the company has addressed every concern successfully through the many studies and consulting services it provided.

This is not another typical industrial facility. It is a scientific, state-of-the-art agricultural processing operation. The product offers health benefits that I believe will help Sullivan County gain the attention it deserves. It’s time to build.

Pine Bush, NY

Let communities control their own destiny

To the editor:

A recent letter to the Times Herald-Record about the proposed Yukiguni Maitake (YM) mushroom processing facility in Mamakating claims that opponents are against jobs for Sullivan County and thus “un-American.” That is not the case. We want good jobs but not just promises. YM has not made any promises on the number of jobs, only ifs. There are no guarantees but plenty of reason to question what is said about the project.

Estimates of water use have changed as much as the weather, projections of the height of the total structure have been inconsistent, and in recent site-plan submissions, drawing scales appear to be incorrect. Some of the scales show 1/20” equaling one foot. But if you measure the drawings at that scale the total structure would reach less than 30 feet, as compared to the 83-foot height stated in their environmental impact statement (EIS). In addition, the Mamakating town code defines building height as measured from ground level. In the environmental impact statement and in the recent submissions, a diagram entitled “Sketch Plan” indicates that the structure height is measured from finished floor level, eliminating three or more feet of the foundation above ground level. In the Federal Aviation Administration application Yukiguni stated total structure height as 83 feet. Are they measuring from finished floor level in their sketches to try to make it look as though their structure is three feet shorter? They were only granted a variance for 80 feet.

And let’s not forget the Kohls’ project: there were to be 900 jobs, $10 per hour to start, employment for all Mamakating. But how many residents of Mamakating now work at Kohl’s?

As shown by last November’s election results, the residents most affected by this project in regards to water, taxes generated and visual intrusion on their community overwhelming supported the Democratic party ticket, which was against the mushroom project.

Keeping your children’s records private

To the editor:

I am writing to voice my concern about military recruiting in our public schools. While I support the troops and the rights of a volunteer military, I do not support institutionalizing involuntary recruitment practices. The No Child Left Behind Legislation automatically gives the military the right to take any student’s private information without any form of parental permission or notification. This snooping into students’ private school information needs to stop.

There is an opt-out provision in the legislation, but rarely are students or parents informed of it. I encourage students and parents all over our state to send a letter to their school’s administrators asking them to keep their information private. A sample form can be found at www.militaryfreezone.org/opt_out.

Chris Brown

Expecting too much from U.N. in Darfur

To the editor:

As a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, I must say it should surprise no one if the U.N. should appear impotent in dealing with the Darfur crisis. The U.N. is not, and never was intended to be, an army, but rather a political cooperative, which reaches goals through consensus of its member nations. Thus, political decisions reached (only after slow debate) in New York will have little practical effect in hotspots like Sudan. Such peacekeeping missions fail through naiveté. Sometimes, peace must be made (through an army ) before it can be kept ( through politics ).

Government for the few

To the editor:

We expect our government to create the conditions that will enable its people to secure a fair wage, afford health care, educate their children and prepare for a secure retirement. As wealth increases all should benefit. Today, we see instead an ever-widening gap, as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It is time for a change in government.