Dear HCN,
I was pleased to read
HCN’s Oct. 26 profile of Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and the state’s
efforts to restore habitat for coho salmon by involving
environmentalists, landowners, timber companies and others in a
consensus-based process. A sidebar article correctly notes that
Gov. Kitzhaber’s Oregon Salmon Plan serves as a model for Enlibra,
a new shared doctrine for environmental management, which was
adopted by the Western Governors’ Association last year. I would
like to correct remarks in the article that Enlibra represents a
change in policy for Western governors and that environmentalists
are not interested in this and other governors’ association
initiatives.
The eight principles that embody
Enlibra were derived from several successful efforts in the West to
develop environmental management strategies that incorporate
balance and stewardship. The Oregon Salmon Plan is one good
example. Another model was the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport
Commission, which brought together environmentalists, businesses,
eight states, all levels of government and academia to reach a
consensus on how to reduce the haze that impairs the spectacular
vistas in 16 national parks and wilderness areas on the Colorado
Plateau. Most recently, six environmental organizations supported
the governors’ recommendations for revising EPA’s proposed haze
rule so the commission’s recommendations can be implemented. Among
those signing a letter to the EPA were representatives for the
Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Trust, the Environmental Defense Fund and
the Land and Water Fund for the Rockies.
In your
article, David Bayles of the Oregon-based Pacific Rivers Council
questioned whether Enlibra can solve intractable disputes such as
the struggle over spotted owl habitat. While I think the principles
could be applied and lead to a better “solution” than we now seem
to be able to reach, I share Mr. Bayles’ skepticism with respect to
any system resolving some of the huge, long-term, bitter issues
where 90 percent of what we are fighting over is already lost. I’m
not sure Enlibra would prove the magic bullet for the “Titanic,”
long-running struggles in the East over PCB contamination
either.
However, I think it is fair to ask
whether the environmental system we are relying on that got us to
these points can be improved. The Western governors believe it
can.
James M.
Souby
Denver,
Colorado
James Souby is
executive director of the Western Governors’ Association
(www.westgov.org).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Enlibra is better than what we’ve got.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
