Crowd Protests Dungeness Water Plan
Clallam County Commissioners held a public hearing on the in-stream flow regulations proposed by the State Dept. of Ecology regarding the Dungeness River Valley. Most of the audience was against the proposal. Dick Pilling said:
"I'm not sure whether we're using real science, junk science or political science. I don't believe the science they are portraying is accurate. I think the county commissioners should cause the DOE to back up and take another look at the data."
"I'm not sure whether we're using real science, junk science or political science. I don't believe the science they are portraying is accurate. I think the county commissioners should cause the DOE to back up and take another look at the data."
posted by Tom Harper at 12:47 AM
8 Comments:
I know nothing..
Look at the Dick Piling quote Tom has included. Piling starts by saying he doesn't know if the science is accurate or not - then launches right into an attack on the science. Destroy that which you don't understand, eh Dick? Pretty typical for 21st century Republicans. When are these flat earth types gonna get a clue???
Hmmmmm --- Just why is the Port Angeles Business Association so concerned about "science" as applied to matters of hydrology in Sequim?
Could it be that PABA members prefer to mislead potential land buyers about the true status of future water availability in rain-shadow-country?
I attended some of the meetings concerning this. People like Piling and Ahlburg are just mouthing off to protect their selfish "rights" to do anything they want, regardless of consequence to others.
But, I also do not see the logic of creating a Water Bank in this particular situation. Ecology gave examples of successful water banks in Eastern Washington, where the flat land, large rivers and huge agricultural operations make such things possible. The agricultural operations there have huge water rights allocations, and established networks of canals to move the water to and from large existing resevoirs.
The Dungeness watershed extends uphill into the ONP. There are very few places to put water catchments large enough to make any difference. So, instead, Ecology has come up with this plan to "bank" water rights for individual land parcels, most quite small.
I agree with the goals, to retain enough water in the river for late season flows. But, this plan is wacky. Probably the best they could come up with, given the circumstances, but still wacky.
Ya hafta love Kaj Ahlburg's hypocrisy. Government interference is awful unless you want a government hand-out --- as in spending public money to build reservoirs and water storage projects so that rich newcomers won't have to pay to mitigate for their own water use.
Ahlburg and Pilling are not elected officials. Neither are they scientists, biologists, or in any way connected to Dept. of Ecology. PABA has not the slightest connection to the Dungeness River Valley. These blowhard obstructionists simply show up to make noise and get their names in local media. And of course, media outlets like KONP do all they can to inflate their status in order to make buffoons such as these seem important.
Dick Piling wouldn't know a good idea or correct fact if it bit him on his bloated ass. He's a fool and a blowhard, and doesn't actually give a damn about anything other than making money for himself. The problem for Dick is that he's not so smart when it comes to making money by getting with the program.
For instance, he doesn't even begin to understand how protecting our local environment makes this a more desirable place to visit and live. Which is to say, in the long-term, environmental protection will help bring the real estate market here back to life, and make Dick Piling money. But he's too thick to get that. (Just as he's too thick to realize that the very clear and undeniable trend NATIONWIDE is for MORE environmental protections, not less. You may as well be out agitating against color TVs or any other number of done deals, society-wise. Concern about the environment is here to stay, Dick. Sorry.)
Other than Dick himself, and his elderly cohorts, the only person I've actually heard stick up for Piling's "leadership" is Scott T. Collins - who is not nearly as sensible as David R. Fox. In other words, the only people who think Dick's got good ideas either have one foot in the grave, and/or are complete lunatics.
If this next election cycle doesn't completely finish Piling politically, then the next one will. He's just out of date, and quickly running out of time.
Marriage equality is a perfect example of how Dick's on the wrong side of history...He disinvites a speaker over the issue, but the coming generation wholeheartedly support marriage equality. How are you going to attract NEW Republicans, Dick, with stale, OLD ideas?
Only a bit off topic, this link is to an interesting interview with Bruce Bartlett. Bartlett was responsible for the Reagan Whitehouse economic policies which so many of the current Presidential candidates now speak of.
Listen with your own ears to his current assessments,and his views about our "Race to the Bottom".
http://billmoyers.com/segment/bruce-bartlett-on-where-the-right-went-wrong/
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