TED SCHADE

Ted Schade, Director of the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District

Editor,

Strong Support for Ted Schade

I for one refuse to stand by and not support Ted Schade, our Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control officer, and my friend, who is currently under attack by the City of Los Angeles. Ted is tirelessly working to ensure public health in the Eastern Sierra and to enforce the laws of our country. All of us who live here must oppose the strong interests who seek to once again divide and conquer the ‘Owens Valley folk’. Wolves hunt in that fashion.

Please remember that Los Angeles caused our regional health hazard at Owens Lake  and for nearly 80 years had the policy of, “Let them eat dust.” They are nearly finished. Some 80-90% of the dust has been controlled. Common sense says, “Finish the job!” We are so close to not having our children staying in at recess due to unhealthful air in Lone Pine. Soon our neighbors with asthma, emphysema and other respiratory challenges will be able to live more comfortably.

The callousness of the LADWP attack on our communities is such an offense. They cry ‘poor’ yet they gift the Los Angeles City Council $258,000,000 this year. They plead for reason and yet fight Inyo County over vegetation damage from DWP groundwater pumping, sue over water in Mammoth Creek, break a commitment to continue funding science at Mono Lake and after nearly ten years still have not revegetated acres of abandoned farmland in Laws that chokes Bishop with dust when the strong north winds visit us.

The attack on Ted Schade and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District is an attack on ALL of us. The Los Angeles suit also attacks the Federal EPA and the Clean Air Act, the California Air Resources Control Board, The California State Lands Commission and virtually anyone remaining standing after LADWP’s initial shock and awe. This behavior by Los Angeles and their agent LADWP is the behavior and policy of the past we had hoped. This behavior needs to be exposed and thwarted. I sincerely appeal to everyone to stand up for clean air, the laws of America and for our champion Ted Schade.

Mike Prather

Lone Pine

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