condensed and compiled by S. Cobaugh

progressive news from near and far

WILD SKY CAN'T FLY PAST PEMBO

Neither Patty Murray nor George Nethercutt have been able to get the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness bills they have authored past House Resource Committee Chair Richard Pembo (R-CA). Murray has passed her 106,000 acre bill through the US Senate twice already, but has been unable to bring it to a vote in the house. Nethercutt wrote his own version of a Wild Sky bill, which designates only 93,000 acres as wilderness and an additional 13,000 as protected, was also unable to bring his bill to a vote. Nethercutt has endured harsh rebukes for his version from environmental groups and politicians who voted for Murray's original bill. Wild Sky would be the first Wilderness Area established in Washington State since 1984. Traditionally wilderness has been a strong bi-partisan issue, so it is ironic that this bill has been so difficult to pass this year, which is the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act (signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964) and the 20th anniversary of Washington's Wilderness Act. Many are frustrated with Pembo's obtuse stance on this issue, saying that a congressman from California should not be making decisions about wilderness designation in Washington State.

(The Pacific Northwest Inlander, September 23-September 24, 2004 and Seattle Times, September 23, 2004)

OREGON'S COOS COUNTY PAYS IN PIPELINE LAWSUIT

The Coos County Coalition, Sierra Club and Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center have settled a lawsuit against Coos County, Oregon. The groups alleged violations of the Clean Water Act during the installation of the Coos County pipeline. The pipeline, when completed will be owned by Coos County and leased to NW Natural Gas Company. The county invested $27 million to construct the pipeline, and will pay $575,000 for fish habitat restoration as well as for the conservation group's legal costs. The agreement reached enables the plaintiffs to ensure that the restoration projects occur, and also allows for the plaintiffs to be able to continue with a lawsuit against MasTec, inc. the Florida company that won the Coos Bay project by underbidding competitors by $4 million dollars. MasTec Inc. has been slapped with millions of dollars in fines and claims for allegedly underpaying workers and violating state and federal water quality regulations. MasTec has been fired from the project and replaced by a union contractor from Oregon.

(Northwest Labor Press, October 1, 2004)

"POVERTY WITH A VIEW"

That has been the unnofficial slogan of labor activists in Central Oregon. Wages are falling short of providing a living wage for families in the area, and the forcast for new, higher paying jobs in the future does not look promising. The Oregon Employment Department projects that 56 percent of new jobs in Central Oregon will be low-wage jobs. Studies done by Central Oregon Jobs with Justice and the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations document these trends.

Armed with this information, the Central Oregon Labor Council met with City Council members in Bend, Oregon. In the meeting, union leaders, community activists and elected officials discussed strategies for bringing more living wage jobs to the city. The City Council Candidates were reported to be open to working with Central Oregon Unions; and specifically with economic justice groups, employers and educators to plan economic development that matches potential jobs with the local workforce and provide the job training and education to match the work.

(Northwest Labor Press, October 1, 2004)

ROADLESS RULE REVISION POSPONED PAST ELECTION

The Roadless Rule, which protects 58 million backwoods acres from road-building and therefore most logging and mining, will remain in limbo until November 15. The Forest Service postponed the changes to this publicly popular measure, leaving it open to public comment until after Election Day. Roadless areas are concentrated in Western States, many with conservative governors sympathetic to resource extraction and ORV enthusiasts. Environmentalists object that federal land management should remain in federal hands, rather than be deferred to the states and therefore influenced by local economic issues.

The proposed new rule can be read at www.roadless.fs.fed.us. To comment on the proposed change, write to Content Analysis Team, attn: Roadless State Petitions, USDA Forest Service, PO Box 221090, Salt Lake City, UT 84122; fax to (801) 517-1014; email statepetitionroadless@fs.fed.us.

(ECONEWS, October 2004)

WESTERN SHOSHONE BATTLE FEDERAL LAND GRAB

A 30-year struggle to preserve land rights rages on in the Western Shoshone Nation for their homelands in Nevada, California, Idaho and Utah. George Bush signed the Western Shoshone Distribution Bill on July 7, a bill which has already been passed by Congress and authorizes the payment of $100 million to the Shoshones for their land. Nevermind that the land was never for sale.

"This bill changes nothing" says Shoshone Rancher Carrie Dann, "We are here to protect our mother earth. That is our responsibility. Our obligation will not be deterred by thieves."

Carrie Dann and her sister Mary have been fighting this battle since its inception and have paid for their resistance. Most of their livestock has been taken by the BLM in armed raids, and now federal officials have threatened to seize their ranch. These raids and seizures are common for the Western Shoshones, which the Shoshones believe are meant to intimidate them into accepting the government's payoff and signing away their land. A payoff which would not be used to set up needed funding and infrastructure for tribal education, healthcare or housing; but would instead be split into individual checks of $20,000.

In 1863 the Treaty of Ruby Valley recognized the Shoshone's title to 24 million acres. But this land has now been found to be the third most productive gold mining area in the world. It also hosts Air Force bases, bombing ranges, and a federal counterterrorism facility managed by Bechtel, and is a proposed dumping site for nuclear waste.

The Western Shoshone's are not defeated and have vowed not to give up their fight. Supporters can get involved by visiting the Western Shoshone Defense Project at www.wsdp.org.

(Freedom Socialist, October-November 2004)

MONTANA'S JEWISH COMMUNITIES EMBRACE REFORM

After years of study, Jewish communities in the Flathead Valley and Missoula have voted to become members of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). Reform Judaism traces its roots to Germany's 19th century enlightenment, but the movement did not gain hold in the US until 1978 when Rabbi Alex Schindler began a program of outreach aimed at "Jews-by-choice" and interfaith families. The difference between Orthodox Judaism and Reform Judaism is that "Orthodox Judaism evolved with a point of view that the Torah was authored by God and revealed to Moses...Part of being a reform Jew is the understanding that the Torah is a product of people writing it over several centuries, reflecting the political, religious, economic and social context of the time." Reform Judaism's interpretations vary widely from Orthodox Judaisms, even though it is deeply based on sacred texts. They have embraced women rabbis, women cantors and female synagogue presidents, as well as interfaith families even if a family member does not wish to officially convert. A fourth tenet of Judaism is also emphasized, not just God, Torah and Isreal, but also Tikkun Olam, or "repairing the world through social action". The hope of Reform Judaism is to create a spiritual family for the coming generation that is open, inclusive, pluralistic and sacred, where no one view dominates.

(Missoula Independent, September 23, 2004)