We've Become a Bunch of Greenies!

I nearly dropped my jaw Tuesday when Burleigh Binning stood before the county commissioners and spoke in opposition to the Dugans rezoning their property on Ehman Lane. To my amazement, Mr. Binning expressed concern with "hazardous waste" runoff from the Dugans' trucks. This was the same Burleigh Binning I had observed lecture federal officials in numerous meetings before about the evils and abuses of environmentalists!

Meanwhile, hardly anyone showed up at the Forest Service's hearing in Marbleton on the proposed "Roadless Initiative," which you'd think would fire up every 4 wheel drive truck owner in Sublette County.

Marlenn Wise opposes the Pinedale walking path because it could interfere with deer and antelope migration and Industrial Site property owner and resident Tom Thompson opposed rezoning Mark Noble's 12 acres because he doesn't think Chauncy Clark's old ranch should be subdivided into an industrial property. In his comments to the commissioners opposing the Nobles' application, former All American Fuel owner Doug Sterck said he's walked on his new property Monday and seen 32 antelope, sage chickens and deer.

We've become a bunch of greenies!

I used to be a hard core wise-user, but boy have I moderated. This summer I bought my first pair of Teva sandals. Me in sandals!

New houses in former hay meadows make me sick, we've started limited recycling in the Journal office, and I don't like seeing ATV tracks in the middle of the forest.

The great enviromental and land use war in the west is over. The environmentalist have won. Sublette County and the rest of the west have moved so far to the green side we're crowding Aldo Leopold. Wow.

I agree with the county commissioners' decision this week not to approve the zoning application change for Mark and Susan Noble. We desperately need a new road to the Industrial Site and Mr. Noble opposed the proposed easment through Royer Clark's old property claiming it would decrease his property value. Then six months later, he comes in and applies to rezone 12 acres of his own property to light industrial, and access it through his property adjacent to the highway. I thought Peggy Bell made a clever comment during the Planning & Zoning hearing on this application when she thought Mr. Noble should have to access his property using the existing Industrial Site road. I also agree with Bill Cramer that there's no reason the county shouldn't ask for a road easement from Mr. Noble in return for his zoning change. Meanwhile, the Industrial Site access problem continues, and the commissioners have no plan to address it.

Finally, I'd like to thank Troy May and Scott Makie and the other Little League organizers, coaches and volunteers for running such a first class program. I had a blast watching and covering Saturday's games and the kids certainly enjoyed themselves. Great sport, competition and fun. Thank you!