Mines are Shafting the Public: Digging Gold From Public Pockets

The scenic nature ofthis rivervalley is likely to changewith rapid population and economic growth.

his landscape constructionbusiness in theMountlake Terrace area ofSeattle over 15 years ago and moved to Twisp. Ward’s good friend from the landscape business did the same.

The great North Cascades are a resource. How we usethe resource determines ourimmediatefuture but more directly the future ofour environment. The way we throw around the term “resource” implies that the Old West extractive use is the only use of economic value. Perhaps the value of natural resources lies in the protectionofthenatural landscape.

Rural economies based in mining or logging are often subject to the cycle of “boom and bust.” A dependence on global market price fluctuations for minerals orwoodproducts can play real havoc with a rural community’s economy. University ofMontana economist Thomas Power’s study oftheNorth Cascades changing economy says a Cascades InternationalParkcouldbejusttheticketforcontinued stable economic growth. Environmental protection and a scenic landscapehelp drawin newresidentswhobring money and support local businesses. The key, says Power, is to attract new business while reducing dependence onunstableextractive industriesthat create pollution or scar the landscape.

Power’s research shows the change is underway. Taking his figures ofeach county’s real income from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Power says in the North Cascades counties of Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Okanogan and Chelan, lumber and mining income between 1979 and 1991 dropped by 40 percent. A decline that sharp would destroy an economydependent onthose resource industries, but not in the North Cascades. Because of growth in other areas ofthe economy. NorthCascades residents’ income actuallyincreased 50 percent inthe sametime period.

According to Power’s study, two large parts of the economic growth burst was fromretirees and local services. Over the same time period local services grew by 150 percent while extractive income declined. Duringthe 1980s retirees provided as much as 11 times more income than lumber and mining did. Economic collapse seems a long way off".

Power specializes in the economies of the Old West. He says that ifresource extractive economies haven’t made the switch yet, they are now or will be soon. Power says the change he sees in the North Cascades region is happening in other Old West areas like Southern Utah, the Northern Rockies, and Idaho. “These changes took place in the rest ofthe country quite some time ago. Utah is a perfect example. They really haven’t had an resource extractive economy for fifty years,” says Power. The economygrew after people moved therefornon-economic reasons, he continued.

Having a healthy, beautiful environment can be the key to drawing newbusinesses to theNorth Cascades. Dr. GundarsRudzitis, RobertaMatthews, Susan Klinkert and Ward Hartzell might all agree on this point. One who certainly does agree is Ron Nielsen. Ron, ExecutiveDirectorforthe Okanogan County Council for Economic Development, is one whose job it is to bring new employers to the Okanogan. “Morepeopleare definitely fleeing to rural areas,” and they’renot all retirees, Ron said. “The average age (ofnewcomers) is around 45-55 years old. They are morecomputer literate andworkonthe phone and fax,” he continued. “Everything being equal,we expectthe economyto continue to grow,” Ron said. Though he sees the county’s economy as having a pretty brightfuture, Ron also stoppedto comment on the clash of“cultural values” between newcomers and long-time residents.

The balance could change dramatically. Other outsidegroups are eyeingthe hills of the Okanogan and they are not all yuppies. The Battle Mountain Mining Corporation, based inHouston, has applied to start anew open pit mine near the town of Chesaw. terthe mineruns out. Power says manymining communities canbring in good wagesbut stillbe far fi’om prosperousbecauseotherbusinesses arenot attracted to those areas. He cites Kellogg, Idaho and Anaconda, Montana as examples. Anaconda, once the mostproductiveminingtowns intheU.S., nowwants professional golfer Jack Nicklaus to build a championship golfcourse onits arsenic-ladenslagheaps and mountains of toxic tailings.

The old cliche “only change is constant” clearly applies here.

We control the direction ofour economy and our quality oflife. We control their effects on the remnants of our natural heritage. The wild and wondrous North Cascades are not getting any larger but we constantly askthem to give more and more. Protection ofour western landscape ensures our tie to ourhistory and culture. Cascades InternationalPark could be a gift we give ourselves.

The “Crown Jewel” project would employ

about 120 to 160 people for ten years and remove good-sized portions ofBuckhom Mountain. Ron Nielsen said at least three othermining corporations arewaiting in the wings to see ifBattleMountain’s deal is approved.

The Okanogan could find itselfback on the extract and export roller coaster. Tom Powerdoesn’tthink it wouldbe such agood idea, “One mine would slow down the current steadygrowth. Ifmore than one mine is set up and a mining economy develops it will kill all neweconomicgrowth,” he said. The economy would take a huge shock af

Logging provides less to the economy while other industries grow.