Editorial: Government report documents hostility

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2000 | 9:33 a.m.

After Gloria Flora resigned last year as supervisor of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, the Forest Service appointed a fact-finding team to delve into Flora's allegations that Forest Service employees in Nevada -- especially those in Elko -- had been harassed and intimidated. In her Nov. 8 letter of resignation sent to employees, Flora wrote that the "level of anti-federal fervor is simply not acceptable."

The fact-finding team's report released this week said the employees weren't in physical danger but did acknowledge they faced difficult work and living situations in northeastern Nevada, which were found to be "unusual and antagonistic." Although there weren't threats that the team felt could be prosecuted under federal law, there were numerous times that "Forest Service employees and their families have been subject to various forms and degrees of intimidation, harassment and verbal abuse."

It is promising then -- even with this adversity -- that the fact-finding team did encourage members of the Forest Service to continue to reach out to the local community. But this is a two-way street. The time has come for government officials in Elko to cease their invective so that common ground can be found. The dispute over the rebuilding of a road in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is a tough issue to resolve, but the fact is that other Western states must confront seemingly intractable issues with the federal government, too. The difference is that those who live outside Elko seem to make an effort to air their differences with civility.