Bonneville Power Administration is to be applauded for their concern for the protection of the spotted owl, and their care for the bull trout. Equally laudable is their concern for our waterways. It is commendable that BPA spends more than $800 million, every year, to protect fish and wildlife. What bothers me is that they don’t appear to have equal concern for the protection of human life.
The fact is BPA is considering building 500-kv high-voltage power lines, installed on those ugly 15- to 25-story towers, through the populated areas and through privately owned rural property of Southwest Washington. These lethal lines will not only be built near the homes of thousands of families, but also dangerously near several schools, jeopardizing the health of our children who are the most vulnerable to the threat of leukemia from exposure to electric and magnetic fields. It may cost a bit more to build these towers in an area with no population but it surely won’t be anywhere near the amount being spent, annually, to protect the wildlife.
C’mon BPA, make protecting human life a higher priority, as high a priority as you admirably do for protecting wildlife.
Les Sarasohn
Vancouver
