LETTERS IN THE EDITOR'S MAILBAG.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Cut back Medicare Advantage

The Senate is expected to vote soon on providing health insurance for presently uninsured children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Some in Congress want to take the money for this insurance from the privatized plans called Medicare Advantage. That would be a great start on dismantling those plans, as the private plans are undermining original Medicare.

You can get full details from the nonprofit Medicare Rights Center at www.medicarerights.org. MRC reports that privatized plans cost taxpayers $1,000 more a year per person than original Medicare, and take out 20 percent for administrative costs, marketing and profits, while original Medicare spends only 3 percent on administrative costs.

If Congress doesn't stop these overpayments, the private plans will wind up running Medicare. Right now original Medicare is an efficient program that guarantees its members a core set of reliable benefits. The private plans will make it a voucher program, challenging its members to find a private plan they can afford that will also provide the benefits they need when they need them most.

Rep. Peter DeFazio appears to be on to this scam and is doing what he can to repair the damage. Readers, please ask Sens. Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith not only to vote the SCHIP money for uninsured children but to work to restore original Medicare by shrinking and eventually terminating the costly and destructive overpayments to private plans.

You might also thank DeFazio for his efforts. You can reach them all at 1-800-828-0498.

ROBERT ROTH 

Eugene

Landfills release toxic gas

Regarding Jeff Wright's article (Register-Guard, July 21) on green power from landfills: You can't call landfills green. All landfills leak.

The leachate is always toxic, as well as the air emissions. The leachate will enter the groundwater and pollute nearby buildings and wells.

Burying garbage in landfills results in the release of more heat-trapping gases than any other waste management option. The best strategies are resource reduction and recycling. Because landfill gas is a by-product of landfills, it cannot be considered green.

I don't support using dump gas as a source of electricity. Small scale photovoltaic arrays generating electricity, wind generators, micro-hydro generators, solar water heating and conservation are where we should be concentrating our efforts. Investing in clean energy and ourselves instead of expanding the garbage baron's poisonous dump.

BRENDA GAINES

Blachly

Climate change affects hunting

On July 21, the Northwest Steelheaders and the National Wildlife Federation held a conference to train hunters and anglers on the devastating effects climate change will have on Oregon wildlife.

On Mount Hood, Sandy Glacier (lifeblood of the world-class steelhead fishery, Sandy River) has decreased by 50 percent in the last 50 years. Steelhead and salmon need cold, reliable flows to survive.

If sea levels rise as predicted (11.2 inches by 2050), huge sections of fragile coastal habitat along waterfowl's Pacific flyway will be altered or eliminated.

Global warming favors invasive species, which out-compete native plants and animals, further pushing fragile ecosystems to the brink.

Scientists on the Intergovern- mental Panel on Climate Change say we must reduce carbon dioxide emissions 75 percent by 2050. We need to have a political decision to achieve that. It's time for sportsmen and women to get past the politics and support state and federal legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If the scientists are wrong, we invested our resources into preserving our wildlife for future generations and left the planet in better shape than when we inherited it. If they are right, and we do nothing, we will lose everything.

The biggest way for hunters and anglers to affect change is to lobby legislators. I have been a hunter for more than 20 years, and I say we cannot keep our heads in the sand; it's time for a state and federal global warming policy.

MATT STANSBERRY

Eugene

Legislators end run Measure 37

It's interesting that after waiting 30 years for Oregon's Legislature to correct the inherent ills of the Land Conservation and Development Commission's restrictive regulations, the Oregon electorate finally did so themselves by promoting and passing Measure 37.

Now it's ironic that Gov. Ted Kulongoski and the corporate Democrat legislators are trying to disembowel Measure 37 by rewriting it to their liking of near total restrictive regulations. In their rewrite they make a few small concessions to bait voters, but their bill also adds several restrictive regulations not previously included.

House Bill 3540 was contrived by our Democrat legislators for the purpose of eviscerating Measure 37. For Oregon voters, that bill is deja vu all over again, as those Democrats seemingly do not understand the meaning of the word no.

LEONARD VEDDER

Bandon

Northwest Forest Plan failed

Apparently, Alan Wilm (Register-Guard, July 13) doesn't think that groups like the Sierra Club and Western Environmental Law Center are special interests in the ongoing controversy over how to manage O&C lands for local economic benefits.

Our public lands are like a large house, and thanks to the efforts of various Green groups, we are only allowed to use half of that house and just leave the lights off and ignore the rest. Except in the case of our public forest lands, where nonuse or nonmanagement has also led to catastrophic forest fires and risks to not only wildlife but to human habitat as well.

Despite Wilm's efforts in his guest viewpoint to make the Clinton-sponsored Northwest Forest Plan look like a great piece of legislation for the West, the reality is that it has resulted in the economic problems that Oregon counties now face in terms of lost tax revenues for schools, roads and public safety. Unless Wilm is living in la la land, maybe he should check with Oregon county commissioners and ask what setting aside huge parts of Oregon's tax base has done for local communities and public services like libraries.

It's time to turn on the heat and the lights in that unused side of the house so the family can live comfortably again.

ED ANDERSON

Eugene

Look for new education center

It was good to read in Ticket's "Best of ..." column (Register-Guard, July 20) that the Fern Ridge Bike Path was found enjoyable for in-line skating.

I have biked from the fairgrounds to Meadowlark Prairie and agree that the trip is indeed a treat: the great blue herons, osprey, meadowlarks (their song even if you can't see them), signs of beaver presence and particularly the open space of Meadowlark Prairie. If the skater keeps a sharp lookout, he or she might even be able to spot an otter in Amazon Creek.

As a board member of the nonprofit Willamette Resources and Educational Network, I would like to bring additional awareness to the author and others that, in the not-to-distant future, there will also be an education center available for use by schools, organizations and, yes, even passersby on wheels or foot, near this same pathway. The sustainable building will house a science lab, a couple of classrooms and wetland and science exhibits as well as a natural resource library. WREN is already serving more than 4,000 children and adults a year from an outdoor yurt.

Thanks to the writer for also pointing out that Euphoria chocolate is along the way and that Elmira Automotive has supplied a portable toilet. WREN also recognizes these two businesses for their continued support of our programs.

More information about education programs and events, the future education center, membership, donation or volunteer opportunities may be found at www.wewetlands.org.

SUSANNE

TWIGHT-ALEXANDER

Eugene

UO neglecting its main campus

I live in the Fairmount neighborhood and pay close attention to the uncontrolled and predatory growth of the University of Oregon's development goals.

It's obvious that UO President Dave Frohnmayer's proposed arena project is actually the center of a larger public/private shadow campus that he and his investor friends hope to construct and sustain. One of the main problems with this sprawling development focus and annexation is that Frohnmayer has accumulated nearly $150 million in deferred maintenance on the existing campus.

The only way to get Frohnmayer to do his job and maintain the main campus is to deny him his ability to sprawl on top of existing neighborhoods utilizing the power of eminent domain. Reigning in Frohnmayer's ability to kick off construction of his new private dream campus would help preserve the integrity of the main campus.

Nike's yearly payments have ensured the sustainability of Frohnmayer's underhanded dealings in favor of the company over the years. Frohnmayer's current threats and use of eminent domain against existing businesses on Franklin (Register-Guard, July 11) will collapse his proposal.

Eugene City Councilor Alan Zelenka's advocacy for the arena project and the recent approval of $35,000 for "traffic calming" in anticipation of Phil Knight writing the long-awaited $130 million check, shows the city of Eugene and the UO Foundation are in direct collusion in soliciting this final private donation.

ERIC EIDEN

Eugene