Have you had any indication of a thawing in relations over the past few years?
No, not after my conflict with Bob Benton in ’87. As I mentioned earlier, he was on a fishing expedition and suggested that the Corps should take disciplinary action against me. Of course, I wrote a letter and talked with the news media about this. They wrote a story that put Benton in a pretty bad light (45). After that I wrote a couple of editorials, but never heard anything [from the NPS]. I went to a meeting at SOSC in ’92, got some harassment from the audience, but nothing really substantial. The letter from Dave McIntire in ’93 was pretty harsh. I reviewed the 10-year study and then I wrote this lengthy letter laying out all of my criticisms. I sent copies to various people on a House committee, George Miller was the chairman (46). I sent him copies and what really got to McIntire was that I had distributed my letter. I wanted people to be aware that the Park Service had done an excellent job of monitoring the lake and collecting data, but in doing other kinds of research, they had neglected to address the sewage issue. I felt this was something that needed to be addressed, and more research should be aimed at the possible impacts of sewage at Crater Lake — if indeed sewage had gotten into the lake. There were these little skirmishes over the years, but I never felt that the Park Service made any attempt to let bygones be bygones. They never sent me a letter and thanked me for anything. I don’t expect thanks anymore than I would expect the Forest Service to congratulate me on my activism on Bull Run or at Waldo Lake. They’re never going to say I was right and they were wrong.
Two things were accomplished here. I was never proved right as far as sewage going into the lake or that sewage had an adverse affect on Crater Lake. That was never demonstrated. It’s still unknown and I guess that a lot of people believe that it was never a problem; even if sewage was going in the lake it was never a problem, there was more nitrogen being introduced with rainfall. People can believe what they want, I don’t care. I believe sewage was going into the lake and think that it was stimulating algae in the lake. All of that is, however, speculation. What really matters is that the Park Service now has a monitoring and research program that it did not have prior to 1983, and probably never would have had if this [the sewage hypothesis] had not happened. Number two: they took the sewage septic system off the rim whether sewage was getting in the lake or not. The septic leach field serving the cafeteria was no place for the sewage system. It should never have been put there in the first place. These things were accomplished and I feel good about that. I’m not expecting any acknowledgment or credit for that. I hope that the monitoring and research program goes on ad infinitum. The public can afford it, and the public should pay for it. It’s an essential part of park operations to monitor the lake and conduct research so that people better understand Crater Lake. A lot of information that’s gathered from the research can be imparted to the general public. It makes the public more knowledgeable about the lake, and it makes them more appreciative of it.
