Never put greed above ecosystem's health

The environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico tragically illustrates the horrific consequences of industrial projects that are located within fragile ecosystems. The drilling in the gulf supposedly adhered to permitting guidelines and the environmental parameters established by federal agencies. How is it then, that an entire ecosystem has been destroyed from a project that received the endorsement and assurances of the appropriate governmental bodies? The problem is that the permits for these projects have more to do with regional and national politics than they do science and actual environmental impacts. It is also an unfortunate reality that the extremely cozy relationship between industry and our government has significantly tainted the objectivity of federal permitting agencies.

There are numerous parallels between what has occurred in the Gulf and the proposed Rock Creek mine. The relationship between the mining industry and the federal and state permitting agencies on the Rock Creek project has been as cozy as those in the Gulf. The agencies that permitted the Rock Creek mine have always chosen to ignore the harsh inevitable consequences of the project.

The lesson from the gulf should be for us to have a healthy skepticism of governmental agencies that permit these projects. Always question the science that the permit is based upon because, as in the case of the Rock Creek mine, it is predominately industry generated and skewed to reflect a political will to permit. Lastly, never put greed above the health and protection of an ecosystem. Whether it is Rock Creek, the Clark Fork River, or Lake Pend Oreille, clean water should always be our priority. The residents of the Gulf Coast would gladly exchange an oil well for the return of their intact environment, but, unfortunately, that time is past. Let us not make the same mistake; stay involved in the Rock Creek project.

JIM COSTELLO

Rock Creek Alliance

Trout Creek, Mont.