Growth top threat to water supply

To the editor:

Regarding the article on the Colorado River (“River Woes,” Wednesday Review-Journal), yes, the situation is a disaster — almost equal to the disastrous approach taken by local politicians and the Southern Nevada Water Authority. When will we see reasonable limits to growth, and when will the water stop running down the streets?

One thing Southern Nevada Water Authority chief Pat Mulroy can do now is re-institute the 2003 drought ordinances that limited outdoor water features and created water waste patrols. She can then continue to put the pressure on through the U.S. Department of Interior to re-work how Colorado River water is used — 76 percent goes to irrigation in Arizona and California, often through wasteful practices. Ms. Mulroy can join the push to first fill Lake Mead and only fill the leaking Lake Powell as needed in good water years.

The plan to destroy central Nevada and Utah so Las Vegas can grow must not and will not happen. It is predicated on supporting a population in excess of 4 million people by 2035 — something that defies common sense and is just plain stupid. If we choose to live in the driest desert in North America, then we must recognize and respect the limits on our growth and strive for sustainability and livability for our community.

ROB MROWKA

NORTH LAS VEGAS

The writer is a conservation advocate for the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity.

No horse tripping

To the editor:

I worked on the ordinance with Dina Titus and others in 1996 to outlaw horse tripping in Clark County. I was at the County Commission meeting on Tuesday to speak and hear testimony to change the language in that ordinance to allow horse tripping (“Officials vote to keep county ban on rodeo horse roping,” Wednesday Review-Journal).

The South Point Hotel will host The World Series of Charreria at the end of September, and if the change in language had been allowed, horse tripping would’ve been allowed in three of the nine events taking place there. Shame on the South Point Hotel for hosting this brutality.

Thanks to six of the Clark County commissioners for not allowing this to happen and leaving the ordinance as is. Many people worked very hard on this ordinance, including many cowboys. The commissioners did the right thing for horses and for our community.

Tom Collins cast the only vote to allow the change that would be so devastating to the horses used in these events. Most horses used for these cruel events are rented from feedlots before their transport to a slaughterhouse

The horses got a break this time.

LINDA FASO

LAS VEGAS

ObamaCare and seniors

To the editor:

I wonder if older folks such as me ever think about what the Obama administration is doing to us. I’m truly upset as I listen, read and think about what’s happening.

I recently purchased the book, “ObamaCare Survival Guide.” The bad news section notes that the Independent Payment Advisory Board is the liberal watchdog that is going to cut, cut, cut from the very people who helped make this country great. The Medicare Advantage plan, in time, will no longer use private insurers such as Humana as a supplement to the Medicare plan.

And it gets worse. In the book’s winners and losers section, it lists the biggest loser as seniors. President Barack Obama is bent on getting votes from immigration and health care reform on the backs of old people like me, by giving things away, and mind you, many people have their hands out. So speak out, to Rep. Joe Heck, Sen. Dean Heller and other elected officials. ObamaCare must not be enacted as it stands now.

WILLIAM WHITNEY

LAS VEGAS