Big city politics, herbicide will only ruin the lake

Lake Pend Oreille belongs to all. It moderates our climate and provides vistas and recreation. But haven't we forgotten something? Before we came here, it was the home of animals and plants that grew there naturally. Some of them are still there in spite of all our activities in and around the lake. What is "ecology?" Isn't it an interaction of all life? When we go to drastic measures with herbicide, we are killing and maiming a lot more than milfoil? Maybe even contributing to the demise of future generations of all of us. Don't we all share half of the genes of our cell chemistry with the milfoil?

Are we squandering our natural resources? Have we accepted federal money with strings attached that we have to spend it on herbicide? Why do we have to resort to polluting technologies that send our money out-of-state to companies in Washington and Delaware? Eurasian milfoil has been brought to the lake — by us — on our boats and trailers from other lakes Don't we have a responsibility to balance the ecology of the lake without putting an herbicide, especially 2,4-D, in the lake in vast quantities?

When people come here from the city and run for office right away, they bring with them their big city experience which can steer us in the wrong direction. I'm not saying that it isn't good to have their expertise in governing, but we have to ride herd on them about their values that change the character of our community. Putting 2,4-D and Sonar into the lake is one of these things that come down from big city politics with all its connections to chemical companies and campaign contributions. Do we have to ruin our lake in order to keep them in business?

MERLA BARBERIE

Sandpoint