Retired Military and Republican: Save The Metolius! - Joe Kuehn, Salem

Warm Springs Tribes
Attn: Mr. Lewis Pitt
LPitt@wstribes.org

Re: SB 30 Hearing 4 05 07

Dear Mr.Pitt,

I am retired military and a Republican. After attending the hearing and listening to all the testimony I am even more convinced of the necessity to pass SB 30 without compromise. This is my testimony which was not permitted because of time constraints.

• I've traveled on six continents to places as varied as a South America International Biosphere in Patagonia, New Zealand's Milford Track, and mountain wildernesses on remote Indian Ocean islands.
• These rare places are sanctuaries of nature protected from damaging human encroachment.
• The Metolius River Basin although more developed, is equally rare in ecological splendor.
• The location of the proposed destination resorts on the Basin's perimeter would in my opinion, do severe damage to the delicate Metolius environment.

You live in an area in which there are many special natural places. I hope you consider the need to keep those environmental lands protected from exploitation. Those who propose these destination resorts have become very skillful in couching their justification by devising ways to convince us that their projects are ecologically positive when they are not.

I have backpacked with the Chemeketans of Salem from Lake Billy Chinook to Camp Sherman and have experienced the deep serenity of the Basin as I’m sure you have. Because of this experience I hold this place in a kind of reverence.

Please do whatever you can to ensure the Tribe’s support for SB 30.

Sincerely,

Joseph W Kuehn Jr.
Salem, OR