|
|
 
|
Animosity flowing in Washington water dispute (Thursday, Aug. 29, 2002 -- CropChoice news) --
The Oregonian
JIM LYNCH
PESHASTIN, Wash. -- A water war is boiling in "the pear capital of the world" in what may be
a taste of battles to come in farm country as environmentalists continue to assume a growing
role in enforcing the Endangered Species Act in the Northwest.
The clash erupted after the
Seattle-based Washington
Environmental Council sent local
irrigators a letter warning that they
must quit diverting so much water to
orchards and do a better job of
helping endangered fish navigate
Peshastin Creek -- or face the
consequences in court.
The group says the letter was
intended to encourage the irrigation
district to work with the
environmental group but was
greeted like hate mail. Instead of
engaging the council in discussions,
the Peshastin Irrigation District quit
improving its canals to stockpile cash
for a court fight and refuses to meet
with the council.
Read the rest of the story at:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/front_page/1030622170318282.xml | |
