EPA: Reel in a little realism
Serena Carlson certainly hit the nail on the head in her short letter about the EPA speaking at the Magnet School. It seems that more often than not these federal organizations are given free access to young minds in which they will grow up believing that the EPA can do no wrong. I agree with her assessment.
It would have been far better had they invited both an EPA representative and someone from the mining industry to talk to the children at the same time. We need some realism to which our young people are exposed. While the EPA may have done some good in the Silver Valley the vast majority of the folks who live and work there would prefer that the EPA complete their work and exit the valley soon. Even our own governor and Senator Crapo would agree with that assessment.
Sometime drive down Foster Avenue or Garden Avenue and look at all the early American homes there. Most of these homes were built with money from early mining in the Silver Valley. Mining also built much of the business district in Spokane.
Mining is important to our area. Sure some serious mistakes were made during the early years, but that can be said about any part of the country during those times. Even the American Indians were not so concerned about environmental issues.
Our young people need to understand that mining is very important to our country, our state and our area. We cannot continue to use these resources while biting the hands that have provided them. In fact it might be interesting for these kids to learn something of the life in the day of a miner.
From my very limited perspective it appears that the EPA was a key player in why there is no longer a Bunker Hill Smelter and Zinc plant and appears to be making every effort to continue to reduce mining or make it less profitable in the Silver Valley.
Our young people need to learn the other side of the story, not just about all the "wonderful things" the EPA is doing. Comments: jimhollingsworth@frontier.com
JIM HOLLINGSWORTH
Coeur d'Alene