Maybe there could be some demonstration projects?
There are some examples. So often people make, and we appreciate it, suggestions for things we could do. Usually the limitation is simply having the financial resources to do it. Any program really becomes a public education campaign, and it costs money. A lot of things where we’ve been effectively at getting publicity have been efforts where we’re, yes, doing something–timber sale appeals, litigation, getting something on the ballot. When you’re doing something, you get more media attention, and there’s more interest generated about a particular issue and amongst opinion leaders.
Maybe there could be some demonstration projects?
There are some examples. So often people make, and we appreciate it, suggestions for things we could do. Usually the limitation is simply having the financial resources to do it. Any program really becomes a public education campaign, and it costs money. A lot of things where we’ve been effectively at getting publicity have been efforts where we’re, yes, doing something–timber sale appeals, litigation, getting something on the ballot. When you’re doing something, you get more media attention, and there’s more interest generated about a particular issue and amongst opinion leaders.
Going back to the Klamath Basin, I know there have been things written about Hatfield’s working group. Did you perceive that [group] as having a long ‘ term pay off- -was that why you withdrew your participation?
I can explain that. First of all, ONRC raised issues back in the early ’90s and litigated. We supported the petition of the Klamath tribes to list the short nose and Lost River suckers and raised issues which led to acknowledgment by local authorities in Klamath County that things would have to be done to restore the environment. Species getting listed and so forth, if nothing else, would get in their [the locals] way of doing business. Senator Hatfield, to his credit, and his staff were aware of what the problems were–as much as any politician in the country. They proposed a committee where different interests would be represented and in their very Republican way kept it confined to having just local people [on the committee]. I looked at that as progress, in the context [that] it was an acknowledgment of something that had to be done.
