REIN IN INTERNATIONAL PAPER’S POLLUTION

One of Oregon’s largest polluters — the International Paper Springfield Mill, which can currently emit up to 10 tons of disease-causing pollutants, including fine particulates, nitrous oxides and sulfur oxides every day — must attain a new air pollution emission permit from the state of Oregon in 2023.

International Paper’s (IP) mill includes a 50-megawatt wood biomass incinerator. IP’s emissions are more than 50 times the emissions of the Seneca Sawmill in Eugene. The IP factory also releases more than 1.2 million tons of climate-warming gasses every year.

Although the newly proposed IP air emission limits have been lowered for most pollutants, especially sulfur oxides, residents of Eugene and Springfield must demand these alleged emission reductions are measurable and verifiable. In addition, a dirty wood stove swap program funded by Lane County’s largest polluters administered by LRAPA needs to be implemented to mitigate further harm to citizens. 

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency’s 45-day comment period for International Paper’s pollution emission permit runs through July 7. Email comments to Permitting@lrapa.org.

A public info meeting and hearing is scheduled for June 21. More information is at LRAPA.org.

Shannon Wilson
Eugene

MOVE THE FAIR OUT OF TOWN

It is a mistake to build the multi-use facility at the Lane County Fairgrounds. Events there will cause disruption to traffic and the surrounding neighborhoods. The fairgrounds should have been moved outside of Eugene years ago. The best use of those grounds is to develop a residential area that includes housing for all incomes, small retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, park, dog park and other people-friendly establishments.

Beverley Mower
Eugene

THE REAL E.T. IS UNIMAGINABLE

With the recent whistleblower revelation that the U.S. government has possessed extraterrestrial spacecraft for decades, I’ll share a few insights.

Beyond entertaining us, Star Wars and Star Trek did us all a disservice by creating the mistaken impression that beings from other worlds would be maybe a few hundred years more advanced than we are, and they’d have some flashy technology, but they’ll still basically behave like us.

But there’s no reason to believe that beings from other worlds wouldn’t be thousands, if not millions of years more advanced than we are. We simply can’t imagine what these beings would be like.  Their vast superiority would certainly include their consciousness. The extraterrestrial contact “experiencers” regularly report a degree of telepathy on the part of the extraterrestrial beings that might be described as oppressive — questions and answers telepathically inserted into the minds of the powerless humans.

We’re told that the government won’t admit to the E.T. presence on Earth because panic would ensue. I believe that the real reason is that our leaders don’t want the people of Earth to know that we’re being visited by beings so advanced that they make our politicians and corporate executives look like a bunch of crazy baboons.

Now if only they would land on the White House lawn and get it over with.

Robert Bolman
Eugene

EUGENE NEEDS TO TRAIN ITS OWN COPS

Eugene cop college? Why not? A new design for a rigorous yet peaceful police academy could exist right here in Eugene. Local churches, social clubs and businesses could sponsor a qualified person 18 or older. Physical and mental health fitness is a must. A high school or GED diploma is needed, but candidates could enter the program while preparing for diplomas simultaneously.

The main training could include diversity and de-escalation skills, possibly involving CAHOOTS, and familiarity with local racial groups, LGBT groups and various religions in the area. The whole program might result in an AA degree or a certificate from Lane Community College. Reading, writing and basic arithmetic classes successfully completed or opt-out tests required. 

The local police departments could teach police protocol, gun safety and law. Local teachers could teach martial arts, yoga, anger management, sports and bodybuilding.

Many classrooms and meeting places already exist in our area that could be used. A whole building would be nice, but not necessary. What might be needed is a will to pull it together. This really is doable. LCC? Police chiefs? CAHOOTS? Anyone?

Deb Huntley
Eugene