by Sonny LaSalle, Hamilton
You have an opinion letter in your March 26 edition that requires a response. Mike Garrity of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies is proudly taking credit for a Bitterroot National Forest (BNF) decision to pull back a decision on the Eastside Fuel reduction Project. Garrity also had a letter in the Star shortly after the January inauguration pledging to continue the fight against the Forest Service’s efforts to reduce fuels in order to reduce the chances of wildfires destroying wildlife habitat, and putting private property and lives in danger. In the most recent letter he proudly proclaims his group has been successful with 80% of their lawsuits. He does not tell you that taxpayers have had to pay the legal bills of his attorneys after they have found a liberal judge that knows little of natural resource management, but shares their philosophy that National Forests should be managed like National Parks.
A provision in a law called the Equal Access to Justice Act allows them to be compensated if the judge finds in their favor. This law was not intended for their use but, they have found their “Golden Goose” in their fight against common sense resource management. He also doesn’t tell you that their lawsuit with the BNF is likely to result in significant damage to the habitat supporting bull trout, grizzlies and lynx. That damage will occur when the area burns with a high intensity crown fire also known as a “stand replacement” fire, because the BNF was prevented from reducing the fuels found in the area. The evidence of climate change and heavy fuel concentrations are all around us each fire season and they make the national news. The Bitterroot Valley is home to the most dangerous place to live in or near the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) in the state of Montana and ranks high in the nation.
It is not a matter of IF it will burn but WHEN and all we can do is lessen the chances it will become a catastrophic crown fire that cannot be controlled. Garrity’s group and others like his are strong believers of climate change and the impacts of carbon being released into our atmosphere, yet they remain silent on the amount of carbon released by the large wildfires they seem to promote by preventing large scale fuel reduction projects like the Eastside, Gold Butterfly, Mud Creek and much-discussed West Face project. They also remain silent about the fact that carbon is safely stored in wood products used in building construction.
My hope in all the words I have written is you will not be deceived by Garrity and believe the BS he so easily shares with all who will “listen.”