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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I have to disagree with Murf and the Daily News editorial
board on this one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Development in the Whitman County corridor affects not
only Whitman County, but Pullman within it, and Moscow and Latah County,
adjacent to it. I disagree that Moscow has no right to comment on the
effects of neighboring developments that have an impact upon us, even if they
are in another geo-political subdivision that is arbitrarily drawn
regardless of the underlying aquifer boundaries. So long as we follow the
procedures of the other political subdivision, our voice should be heard on
issues that have an effect upon us. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Conversely, it seems to me that people from Whitman County
have a right to be heard on issues that may have an effect upon them, even if
the situs of the particular project is in Latah County. Proposed
reservoirs, for example...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>The insensitivity of some Pullmanites to concerns about
our aquifer are reflected by the following comments taken from a story in
Wednesday's Moscow Pullman Daily News:</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<P><FONT face=Arial>"Councilwoman Ann Heath said the city must lay claim to
water soon, before turf wars occur with Latah and Whitman counties and the
city of Moscow. </FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P><FONT face=Arial></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<P><FONT face=Arial>" 'That’s all the more reason ... to set up wells, so we
can grow the way we want to grow,' she said. 'How do we want to spend our
water? I think we have enough water to make good choices about.'
" </FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial>Keeping an eye on the water hogs across the state
line is important. And the policy should not be "let's get ours, before
they get it," despite Ms. Heath's thoughts to the contrary. We ought
to be trying to influence water policy regionally, and that means commenting on
issues that affect our water, even if the proposed well is a few hundred yards
across the state line from Moscow in Whitman County, or in Pullman.</FONT></P>
<P dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial>Bruce Livingston</FONT></P>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>From: "Tom Hansen" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com"><FONT
face=Arial>thansen@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>To: "Vision 2020" <</FONT><A
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com"><FONT
face=Arial>vision2020@moscow.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 6:47 AM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Subject: [Vision2020] Moscow's Growth Policies Don't Apply
to Whitman (or dothey?)</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial>> >From today's
(January 13, 2007) Moscow-Pullman Daily News -<BR>> <BR>>
------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>>
OUR VIEW: Moscow's growth policies don't apply to Whitman<BR>> <BR>> By
Murf Raquet, for the editorial board<BR>> <BR>> Saturday, January 13, 2007
- Page Updated at 10:20:50 PM<BR>> <BR>> Political boundaries on the
Palouse are clear.Moscow city limits extend to<BR>> the Washington state
border as does the eastern edge of Whitman County. <BR>> <BR>> Both
entities have their own regulations to follow when it comes to<BR>>
development. Often those rules are similar in that they require
development<BR>> plans to undergo sufficient public scrutiny to protect the
environment. <BR>> <BR>> It's time for Moscow to recognize that Whitman
County is perfectly capable<BR>> of determining how and what acreage is
developed within it borders. <BR>> <BR>> Whitman County has all but
cleared the way for the Hawkins Companies of<BR>> Boise to develop a
600,000-square-foot retail center along the<BR>> Pullman-Moscow corridor. The
center would abut the state line and Moscow.<BR>> <BR>> Moscow registered
concerns about the effects the development would have on<BR>> the aquifers,
wetlands and traffic. <BR>> <BR>> Those concerns and others were addressed
through the Washington State<BR>> Environmental Policy Act, an environmental
assessment procedure that is one<BR>> of the more stringent in the nation.
<BR>> <BR>> Whitman County had no legal obligation to consider Moscow's
concerns but did<BR>> so because of Moscow's proximity to the development.
<BR>> <BR>> That was the right thing to do. <BR>> <BR>> "Moscow is
our very close neighbor," said Whitman County Prosecutor Denis<BR>> Tracy.
"We have taken extensive steps to take their concerns into<BR>>
consideration. If they have any concerns that are not part of the SEPA<BR>>
review the county hopes Moscow will pick up the phone and we can talk
about<BR>> their concerns." <BR>> <BR>> Dialogue is a fine way to
resolve problems. <BR>> <BR>> Now, Moscow must accept the SEPA conclusion
and not drag the issue through<BR>> the court system. <BR>> <BR>>
Moscow has every right to determine growth policy within its city limits.
<BR>> <BR>> We hope the city can restrain itself in the future if the urge
to impose its<BR>> standards elsewhere pops up again.<BR>> <BR>>
------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> My
concern is not with what facilities are built on Washington's side of
the<BR>> line, but what resources are used by those resources. As has
been discussed<BR>> here on Vision 2020, Moscow and Pullman share a common
aquifer. The primary<BR>> concern, in relation to the aquifer and
facilities built on either side of<BR>> the state line, is the "right to use"
of that aquifer.<BR>> <BR>> As discussed by guests Rocky Barker,
environmental reporter (Idaho<BR>> Statesman), State Senator Charles Coiner
(R-Twin Falls), and Prof. Barbara<BR>> Cosens, University of Idaho Law
School, when "Mary in Moscow" called in on<BR>> Thursday's Idaho Public
Television's "Dialogue" program, this decision may<BR>> not be made locally,
but by the US Supreme Court.<BR>> <BR>> </FONT><A
href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Dialogue_011107_01.mp3"><FONT
face=Arial>http://www.tomandrodna.com/Stuff/Dialogue_011107_01.mp3</FONT></A><BR><FONT
face=Arial>> <BR>> Thoughts?<BR>> <BR>> Tom Hansen<BR>> Moscow,
Idaho<BR>> <BR>> "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist
expects it to change<BR>> and the REALIST adjusts his sails." <BR>>
<BR>> - Unknown <BR>> <BR>> <BR>>
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face=Arial>
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href="mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com"><FONT
face=Arial>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial>>
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