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Governor Defends Environment by Avalyn Taylor The Oregonian, January 16, 2005

Kudos to Gov. Ted Kulongoski for denouncing President Bush's environmental policies during his State of the State speech before the Oregon Legislature ("Session opens with smiles, sparring," Jan. 11).

Unfortunately, some Republican lawmakers dismissed these remarks as partisan rhetoric. I find it ironic that several of the same lawmakers are among the most vocal advocates in the Legislature for growing the economy.

Is it not in the best interest of our state's economy to protect clean drinking water and Oregon's last remaining old-growth forests, which the Bush administration is intent on logging? To preserve some of the last viable populations of Pacific salmon? To safeguard the mounting revenues brought to our state by natural resource-based tourism?

I, for one, am proud to live in a state whose leader stands up to a reckless administration that is bent on rolling back environmental protections at the expense of Oregon's economic health.