interesting news received in the Free Press mailbox

compiled by Denise Rhiner

Montana’s Bitterroot National Forest Gets New Plan

“All sides are hailing the negotiatedsettlement of a lawsuit challenging the Forest Service’s salvagelogging plan[, one that bypassed normal channels for public appeal,]for Montana’s burned Bitterroot National Forest. On February 7,environmental groups, the logging industry and Bush administrationofficials announced a revised plan that removes 27,000 acres ofsensitive roadless lands from the proposed 41,0000-acre timber sale,while allowing loggers to begin cutting this winter.” (High CountryNews, 2/18/02)

Idaho Becomes Power Central

The combination of easy access to Idaho’s Rathdrum aquifer andto a natural gas line is creating a prairie power land. “Avista andCogentrix Energy already operate a less than year old 270-megawattplant [in Rathdrum, Idaho] which uses 1.1 million gallons of water aday. Now, two other power plants and one expansion are proposed in thesame area.” With this expansion, an additional 13 million gallons ofwater would be used each day. Cogentrix is looking to purchase waterrights from local farmers to sustain its plants. (Inlander,February 14-20, 2002)

Washington Toxics Coaltion Launches Mercury ReductionCampaign

Mercury is an extremely toxic substance released in Washingtonby coal burning power plants, incinerators, electronics manufacturers,pulp and paper mills, and is in consumer products such asthermometers, thermostats and automobiles. In January 2002, WTC helpedto introduce two bills to address this danger. SB 6533 & HB 2686will restrict sales of mercury-added products, increase the safedisposal and recycling of mercury, with manufacturers bearing most ofthe financial responsibility, will phase out the use of mercury inschools, hospitals and other health-care facilities, and requiregovernment to purchase mercury-safe products where possible. Callyour state representatives to voice your support for these bills.(Alternatives, Winter 2002)

Seattle to Force Customer Payment of City Lighting

The Seattle Community Council Federation asks all of us towrite our state legislators regarding House Bill 2665 and Senate Bill6690. These bills would “legitimize Seattle’s illegal practice ofpassing along streetlighting costs to City Light ratepayers.”

Lock Down On Political Prisoners

The current administration’s strategies to fight “terror” gobeyond keeping an eye on activist organizations and into the cells ofcurrent prisoners. A February 2002 article in Prison LegalNews reports that under new rules issued last fall, the Departmentof Justice will be able to “select certain prisoners for ‘specialadministrative measures’.” This includes isolation and denyingprisoners correspondence with anyone, including their lawyers “basedon information from the head of a federal law enforcement orintelligence agency”. Additionally, client-attorney privilege isnegated under these rules by allowing the Bureau of Prisons the rightto eavesdrop on any and all conversations between prisoner and lawyer.Serving life in prison since 1973 “for the murder of a police officerand a fellow Black Liberation Army member,” Sundiata Acoli was placedin isolation shortly after September 11. Two Puerto Ricanindependistas were also segregated shortly after the events ofSeptember 11. One was denied both his lawyer and needed medication foran ulcer.The PLN article cites many other cases where prisonershave been denied direct and indirect access to their lawyers or legalinformation. Although prisoners and their lawyers attest to the factthey have not been allowed to communicate, a spokesperson for theFederal Bureau of Prisons said to the best of her knowledge “that isuntrue.”

Union Membership Sees Increase in Women Workers

Although 2 million workers were laid off in 2001, unionmembership in the US remains stable at 13.5 percent. The February 1,2002 Northwest Labor Press also reports that “more womenworkers than ever before” are going union. “The number of women whoare union members reached an all-time high of 6.77 million in 2001, anincrease of 93,000 from 2000, including 42,000 Hispanic women whojoined unions last year.”

Censorship of the Past and the Future

The National Coalition Against Censorship reports in its Winternewsletter on George W.’s Executive Order 13223 which serves tofurther destroy openness in government. “From now on, scholars,journalists and any other citizens will have to show a demonstrated,specific ‘need to know’ in requesting documents from the Reagan,Clintion and two Bush presidencies—and all others to come. And ifsomeone asks to see records never made public during a presidency butdeposited in the National Archives by a former president, therequester will now have to receive the permission of both the formerpresident and current one.”

Indian Nations Take Gale Norton to Court

A five and a half year legal battle reveals the extendedmismanagement of monies held in trust by the Interior Department asroyalties paid for allowing oil and gas, grazing and logging onIndian-owned lands. “Interior and Treasury have admitted in court thatthey do not know and have no way of knowing the correct accountbalances for 500,000 beneficiaries. Records for the trust, whichtakes in $500 million a year in revenues from Indian lands west of theMississippi, have largely been lost or destroyed,” reports ElouiseCobell, a banker for the Blackfeet Nation and plaintiff in Cobell vs.Norton. In this most recent class- action suit, Cobell will ask thecourt for an “independent receiver who will take charge of the trust.”Norton and her department have attempted to stall court mandated stepstowards accountancy and reform, going as far as including falsehoodsin quarterly reports. Having an independent body in charge of thetrust “is the only way true reform will occur.” (Elouise Cobell,High Country News, Feb 4, 2002)