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<br />186J
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<br />. A4 Wednesday, April 5, ,2000
<br />
<br />. II
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<br />: .',.:... ,
<br />
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />~: ffigh river flows "..
<br />:~ costly and callQus.
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<br />. . " ' ~ n, ,',
<br />The U.S, Constitution. forbids the gO'f'ernment .
<br />from endor~ing or supporting a religion:: .'..'. _,'
<br />. This holds true as long as it's the worshipo( ,:
<br />- some superior being br some Similar belief. Bilt.'
<br />.. ; there is something created by the federai ...., ,.,;
<br />:' government that, while not officially II religion,'
<br />.. ... seems to be all powerful. .. , . .. ....::;<~"
<br />- : It affects states, cities and individual property
<br />. owners; can influence future economic
<br />.: development and makes me rights of the
<br />. individual a secondary cousideration. .
<br />It's called the Endangered.Species Act., .,.,
<br />Nobody would argue the preservation of . ...
<br />wildlife and ecosystems is in the future's best.
<br />interest. The problem is, there is no middle
<br />; ground, no compromise. It's the ESA's way or no
<br />. way at all. .
<br />Case in point is the proposed release of
<br />: between 5,000 and 6,000 cubic feet per second
<br />~. from Navajo ReServoir,
<br />It doesn't seem to matter that, when flows of
<br />5,000 cubic feet per second were tried in the past,
<br />people lost property, ditch companies found their
<br />diversion points damaged and many waterfowl.
<br />nests were lost.
<br />What was important was to mimic natural river
<br />flows to protect two fish species that were
<br />intentionally poisoned by the state Game and
<br />Fish Department 40 years ago - with the
<br />blessings of the U.S. government.
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<br />It also doesn't seem to matter that at flows 'i';:. .
<br />. gre~ter than 5,000 cubic feet per second, there-it
<br />will be greater property damage, includingat':j'
<br />Navajo Dam itself, which was never built to.: '
<br />sustain releases of that amount.
<br />Word from the feds is there isn't any. money
<br />allocated to help private property owners or ditch
<br />companies r,ecoup their losses. All that's been . .
<br />said is some grant money may be available from
<br />other sources... '. ." '....:.
<br />What's most aggravating about this situation is
<br />. that biologists, who hav~ spent many millions of
<br />doIlm:s and tJte b~tter ,P!ll1 of the 'past decade. ....
<br />~tudymg the razorback sucker arid Colorado: .
<br />pikeminnow (fonii~rlythe sqJawflsh), aren't sure
<br />exactly what it willtake to recover these fish."
<br />. They think high flows in the sprmgand low .
<br />flows in the winterwill help, but they ,have no '.
<br />proof that it will. :: f' . .>.;;,,,:.: :. .
<br />.: But,.it's a sure betthese"flows Wi'it affectffie
<br />, quality -Waters below Navajo Dam and the $l~.
<br />.. milIion-a-year fishing industry associated withit.
<br />It's also certain more people will watch their land
<br />erode away and ditchcompanies -as wellas'the
<br />.. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates Navajo
<br />.. Dam -will be faced with costly repairs. ,.. ..
<br />Some officials have said it's the law and
<br />. nothing can be done about it. '
<br />They're wrong.
<br />It's time to reject this ecological religion being.
<br />forced down our throats by Beltway bureaucrats.
<br />. and politically-correct pundits;. .
<br />Congress passed the law and Congress can -
<br />amend it to make it a more fair, equitable statute.
<br />
<br />
<br />p.o. Box 450: Farmington, N.M. 87499
<br />Call (505) 325-4545 .
<br />www.daily-tlmes.com
<br />Published daily IJy The Daily Time... .
<br />a ModiaNews Group Newspaper
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