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idaho Environmental Council Sees'Ecological Disaster' Ahead for Man1 ■ _ .. k -*■ V n r\ i fmm h la I « mmMan is closer to ecological disaster than many realize, so reads a statement from IdahoEnvironmental council to the Idaho Commission of Federal Land Laws; as submitted by Jerry Jayne, Idaho Falls, vice president representing Southeastern Idaho.Our very survival depends largely on how well andhow soon met are the problems of polio-lion, ecological disruption, depletion, overpopulation, and loss of open space which plague thenation, the statement reads.All these problems are interrelated, as all reflect altitudes toward the land, and are caused by the very way tlio land is used and misused, the council believes.Members believe overpopulation is now the over-riding concern, and numbers must be stabilized soon. They ask that Lhe Land Review Com mis sion stress to Congress the importance of this item and its far-reaching consequences on all the federal lands.Bannock County to Get Idaho Power's TaxesBannock County will be one of 21 Idaho counties to receive this week a share of die §5.2 million Ida! 10 Power Company is paying for its initial installment on its 19G9 property taxes, The utility has mailed Bannock County a check for $31,-495 as its first half share of the taxes levied on Idaho Power’s operating facilities aruf construction work in progress,Tho firm’s full 1969 property tax in the county is more than $162,991, of which about $91,-9G4, or some 56 per cent will be used for the support of ed-ucatin,^ Company president Albert Carlsen said Idaho Power — the largest taxpayer in the state-witl pay a total of more than $5.2 million in 1969 proparty taxes to tho 27 counties.Schools will receive more than $3.4 million, or about 65 per cent of the total payment.“The size of our 1909 property tax bill clearly shows that Idaho Power has not been suddenly favored with a ‘windfall’, or a ‘massive property tax reduction’, as a result of the Idaho Supreme Court's decision requiring equal assessment ratios,” Carlsen said.The company's 1969 assess-ment ratio of 29.13 per cent, he said is “actually higher” than die 28.8 per cent ratio in effect prior to the time legislation was passed that resulted in the Supreme Court decision*“If taxes were equalized as required by the Idaho constitution so that utility property was taxed at the same Late as the property of oilier businesses, the result would only be equity - not a windfall,” Carlsen declared.Under present law, he pointed out, “it will take 13 years, or until 1981, to achieve equalization of assessment ratios,”During that 13-year period, Idaho Power's growth and the addition of new operating facilities is expected to more than offset any property tax reductions resulting from equalization, Carlsen said.Rotary Luncheon Stated for Jan. 8The next luncheon meeting of the Rotary club is scheduled for'12; 15 p.rn, Jan. 8 at the Hotel Bannock*H. Jim Hulvey, club president said the club has scheduled its annual Rotary Ann Christmas party for today at Hotel Bannock with a social hour at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7;3Q p.m, There will he an international program, he added, with the theme, “Christmas Around the World.The utility president, claiming that Idaho Power is one of the highesl-taxed electric companies in the nation, said taxes of: all types will take about 30 cents out of every dollar it receives in revenue this year.In the last decade alone, Carlsen added, Idaho Power has paid a total of more Uiau $44.9 million in property taxes to the 27 Idaho counties.School districts have received nearly $29 million of this amount to help build new schools, buy books and pay teacher salaries. The remainder has been used for the support of colleges and library, highway, J fire, sewer and cemetery districts.Americans have no cause to be complacent In this matter, for every American baby born has more Impact on the environment than 10 Aslan babies, and in terms of consumption and pollution, the United States is lhe most overpopulated nation in the world, the council declares.On uses of the national forests, the Environmental Council says timbering and mining uses of the national forests are incompatible with wilderness and abouf 90 per cent of the nalion's forest area Is available for supplying timber, and all is suscep* tible to mining. It has become more obvious there are other im-portant uses of i lie forests, mostly non-market uses, but still essential uses, the council's statement says.On mining, the council holds it is necessary the long outdated mining laws must be changed so that consideration is given to other uses of public lands. For the Idaho Commission on Federal Land Laws to say that Denial of or restriction of mining on the public lands ofthls state would represent a great loss of revenue for Idaho,” is very discouraging as it reflects only dollar consideration, and the influence of lhe entrenched mining industry, the Council states.In other comments, the state-menl reads;“The White Clouds controversy exemplifies (he problem perfectly. , .The council feels that if lhe mining laws were realistically geared lo 1970 instead of 1870, the fact there is no national need for the metal would be recognized, and I here would be no mining fn (his area which Is so valuable for oilier uses.”The Council urges the commission recommend updating of the mining laws, such that the Forest Service acid the Bureau of Land Management have mote authority to regulate existing and future activity so that It pro-due e m in i mu m environ mental effects, and so these agencies have the power to withdraw larger areas from mineral entry when they deem it is in the best public interest.Regarding timber, the council recommends recognizing the proposed National Timber Suj -ply act for what it is—an attempted raid on the national forests by elements of the timber industry. This act would raise the allowable cutand would heavily subsidize Umbering-with logging roads built at public expense, the council said.Cbl4ia’iiTatlhiP.ttlbiV.ct-PPasnIiPbatlft M
Newspaper Details
Idaho State Journal
Pocatello, Idaho, US
Thu, Dec 18, 1969
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
New M.
NM, USA 26 Nov 2019
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