Writers comment on ShoreBank letter

To The Eagle:

Re: proposed Columbia Pacific National Heritage Area discusssion at the meeting of the Wahkiakum County Commissioners.

We feel compelled to correct statements made by John Berdes of ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia in his guest column in both the Chinook Observer and The Wahkiakum County Eagle last week.

It is illusion to say, "the federal government does not run NHAs." The facts are that when any NHA is created by congressional legislation, the Secretary of the Interior and a management entity create a land management plan. That plan is overseen by National Park Service. In order for local government to get the money promised to them for tourism, and to "preserve your natural hisory and culture," local land use laws must match that federal management plan. Great pressure is brought upon local county commissioners and planning departments to match the plan to get the money. A cursory study of how NHAs on the East Coast that have been established for more than two decades reveals this truth. One example is the Blackstone River Valley NHC (same as an area, as explained by Eleanor Mahoney, Program Assistant for National Park Service in 2007) which was established in 1986. It has 454 sq. miles within its boundaries. In 1993, HR 2633, Sec. 4, "Revision of the plan...shall include a natural resource inventory of areas or features that should be protected, restored, managed or acquired because of their contribution to the understanding of natural cultural landscape values." (Thomas Library of Congress.) The Wheeling National Heritage Area management plan was updated in 2004 with National Park Service officials providing "assistance guidance review and key inputs," according to the plan's Executive Summary, page 31, #31. No misunderstanding or chance for lack of guidance here! There are more such NHAs and examples when you study them.

It is interesting that in all the four years that this proposed NHA has been in the making, very few tree farmers, cattle ranchers, oyster growers, or property owners found out about it until late in the four year period. Most of them found out because our group, Property Owners Against National Heritage Areas, made them aware. The real target group who got involved at the outset were historical societies, EDCs, Chambers of Commerce, mayors, museums and the like because they would want the money promised for tourism and preservation.

ShoreBank and NPS say you can opt out of an NHA. This, too, is an illusion. When local land use laws change to match the federal plan, you will still have to abide by those laws. It's the promise of money that coerces locals to do the regulation themselves. SBEC and NPS can keep their skirts clean.

Another thing that "niggles" at the back of our minds is the fact that SBEC, who is a non-profit receives grant money from the federal government to operate and who does not pay taxes are making loans to businesses in open competition with our local banks, who pay taxes. Something just doesn't seem right about that. We have heard statistics that speak to the fact that more than 50 percent of our population, at least in Pacific County, works for the government in some form or another anyway. How many local businesses can we afford to lose?

The most egregious effort on the part of ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia is that they solicited letters of support for the proposed NHA in both the Chinook Observer and The Wahkiakum County Eagle nine days after the close of the Public Comment Period which was May 3! How dare they? Now they are soliciting the county commissioners! How does that work? The rules are rules until they are not rules because they, obviously, didn't get the count they wanted. This should speak for their credibility in itself. How can anyone trust anything they say? They make up the rules as they go! We think this should be blasted all over the proposed boundaries and show the public what we are dealing with!

R. Jane and

Robert P. Rose

South Bend