Editorial: Hypocrisy knows no bounds

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 | 10:10 a.m.

Supporters of the so-called "Sagebrush Rebellion" love to paint a romantic picture of Western states and local governments locked in a David-vs.-Goliath battle against an oppressive federal government. Now that fires are ravaging the West, however, there is barely a peep from the self-styled rebels about the need for less federal government intervention. Not only are there calls for more firefighters from the federal government to contain these blazes, but there also are pleas from rural residents throughout the West for federal assistance to help ranchers and others who have been hit hard by the fires and drought. What hypocrisy.

When "Sagebrush Rebellion" advocates argue that control of federal lands should be handed over to the states (more radical members of the contingent argue that the lands should be turned over to the counties, not to state government), they conveniently neglect to mention that there is a huge cost to administer these lands. The monetary costs escalate exponentially when natural or man-made disasters, such as fires, are added into the equation.

The toll from this year's fires in the West has been dramatic. It's been estimated that more than 6 million acres have been destroyed by the fires. Nevada also has seen its fair share of devastation, with more than 600,000 acres charred. Last year's damage in Nevada was even more severe, with 1.6 million acres destroyed. The Elko Daily Free Press reported Monday that the costs of fighting the blaze this year in Nevada alone already have topped $25 million for the two federal agencies battling the fires, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. This isn't just about financial costs, either: Two men have died fighting fires in Nevada this year.

Gov. Kenny Guinn understandably is seeking aid from the federal government, asking for an emergency disaster declaration, which would make some Nevadans eligible for loans and other agricultural aid. While such a request is warranted, we haven't heard many rural residents who support the "Sagebrush Rebellion" also condemning Guinn for asking for federal aid. What tragedies such as this demonstrate is that not only are the BLM and Forest Service welcome stewards of the public lands in this state, but also that their presence here can be of immeasurable help to all Nevadans during times of disaster.