LETTERS: BOND WORKS HARD FOR ENVIRONMENT

To the editor:

Recently the paper ran a letter from Alan Journet in reference to U.S. Sen. Christopher Bond's petition drive for safe highways in Missouri. I take offense at the blatant attacks and misinformation put forward by Mr. Journet.

First, we must ask about Mr. Journet: Where is his common sense? To accuse Senator Bond of "promoting foul air" or "trying to keep it dirty" is unconscionable. It is all of our responsibility to conserve and preserve our natural resources, and Bond does more than his share. As chairman of the funding committee for the Environmental Protection Agency, Bond has provided record levels of funding for clean air and clean water. He also has provided assistance to the St. Louis region to clean up the air. The St. Louis area now has reformulated gasoline and an inspection-maintenance program. It is reducing pollutants voluntarily, and the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership has been organized.

Mr. Journet is dead wrong when he accuses Bond of "an argument about highway safety that he must know is false." I have listened to the senator and read his information provided by others, and I agree with them: Highway funding is a matter of highway safety. Just as Bond has asked the Sierra Club to identify the highway projects in Missouri that are not for highway safety, I ask Mr. Journet to do the same. Maybe Mr. Journet is opposed to some of the highway projects in this area?

Folks in this area should join with Bond in his efforts for safe highways and clean air and not let the scare tactics, misinformation and attacks by Mr. Journet dirty the air.

GLENN REEVES

Cape Girardeau