LETTERS: LEGISLATORS COULD LEARN LESSON TOO

To the editor:

A recent opinion piece written by Marvin D. Brown, forestry division administrator for the Missouri Department of Conservation, suggested that forest economy and protection go together. His suggestions might provide some guidance for our federal legislators, Jo Ann Emerson, Kit Bond and John Ashcroft. All three have voted to continue the logging-road subsidies in national forests.

These subsidies, which approached $90 million in 1996, are unnecessary and serve to depress the value of privately owned timber. Considering that 85 percent of the timber in Missouri is owned by private individuals, it would seem that our elected legislators rejected an opportunity to support both Missouri timber producers and a reduction in federal spending.

Representative Emerson also voted to support continuation of the livestock-grazing subsidies on federal lands, which is another example of wasting our tax dollars on a program that benefits western ranchers at the expense of Missouri cattle producers.

Fortunately, most citizens recognize that responsible environmental decisions ultimately serve to benefit the economy. Our challenge, then, is to educate and encourage our legislators to stand up and vote responsibly.

JIM MAGINEL

Cape Girardeau