NWS11: Wetlands destroyed
NWS11: The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, May 2, 1989
Another wetland is, literally, about to bite the dust. Sectra-Physics,
Inc.'s desire to expand into a wetland is another example of the
continuing practice of wetland destruction. Amerira originally had 215 million acres of wetlands, of which less than
100 million remain. Wetlands serve as home, protection, breeding and
feeding grounds for a variety of waterfowl, plants and fur-bearing
creatures. They also perform important hydrological functions. Wetlands
are valuable properties that are becoming more valuable with each one
destroyed. Mitigation, which is the current trend in wetland protection, is designed
to construct a wetland to replace one being destroyed. Mitigation has been
a federal law for over 50 years, but we are still losing 300,000 acres of
wetlands per year. Today mitigation is used by developers as a buy-off or
a justification to convert wetlands. From The Register-Guard article of April 4 we can see the same old song
and dance that's been going on for 50 years. As Facilities Manager Charles
Missar said, once Spectra-Physics "gets all the permits in place," the
city will "clarify the definition of wetlands" to fit the expansion plans
of Spectra-Physics and another wetland will go down the drain.
Source: The Register-Guard, May 2, 1989
Letter to the Editor
[Address]
Eugene
