The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-08-24
A MINUTE
WITH Ml


atomic by-prOduct underground
storage and development Of an
atomic industrial park and re-
search center on the Blackfeet
reservation. We can understand
why there should be, but we
cannot understand why II should
generate any pessimism or atti-
tude Of despair.
This would be a huge project
ard il is therefore only natural
that we should want 10 know as
much about il as possible and its
present and future effects on the
community. but that is no reason
for anyone who does not under
stand Il Including all of usl to
assume that IL would be the be
ginning Of the end for us or any
of our neighbors. The proper
place. Of course. 10 gain the in
formation We seek would be di-
rectly from the officials of the
company sponsoring the project
not from government agencies
or our elected representatives
who probably know little more
about the whole proposal than
We do.
The PRO Is an independent
corporation, operating complete
Iy as such and not as a part Of
any government agency. Their
work Is very similar to that of
many other corporations In the
field Of research and their ideas
and discoveries are sold 20 in
duStrial organizations as well as
10 the government In most cases
no one. including the govern
ment. knows what their projects
and research studies involve, so
IL is therefore useless 20 attempt
10 gain any information from
agencies other than the one in
volyed.
We have had 4 couple Of pri-
yate conversations with an off
cial of Pre- and are more than
ever convinced that their pro-
posed project here on the reser-
walton could have none other
than a good and profitable affect
20 our community. and the same
time be Of great benefit TO our
neighbors.
Probably the most asked ques
ton is why Is PRO offering
such a great amount of money
for this acreage IL there isn't
some danger or something fishy
about the desl?"
The answer is rather simple II
one takes a pencil and paper and
does a little simple arithmetic in
stead of talking. The project calls
for utilizing $4,000 acres which
will be used as a site for labora-
tories. and underground storage,
and for which the Pre- will pay
approximately S3,5O0.O00 a year
for. Simple arithmetic will show
that this is not as fabulous a
figure as IL would seem when
one divides $4,000 into $780,
900. The answer is about S22-60I
per acre which Is consider
ably below some of the prices
paid by many oil companies.
As we stated last week, II is
not the 50 SOC. 900 we are partic-
ularly interested in although we
aren't overlooking IT'D II is the
prospect OF permanent weekly
pay checks and the opportunity
of employment for our young
people. Here will be an oppor-
tunity for our high school grad
yates to be given training in
highly technical work that de-
mands a high wage scale.
II was pointed out during one
of our conversations that this
community has always had a sur
plus OF labor. This will cease TO
be a problem and chances are
that we will have a shortage of
labor. There will likely be EN-
ployment for eve-v available per
SON who is seriously seeking EN-
ployment and who is reliable &. . E.
Show us a community with ?
shortage of labor and we will
show you a happy and prosperous
community.
A word 10 those who are wor
ried about the safety of such {
project: I live here and ] am
not worried. IL was made clear
that before the by-products could
be buried. the method would
have 70 pass the inspection Of
the Federal Government, the U.
s. Geological Dept, US. Health
Dept. State Health Dept. Blu
reau of Indian Affairs. and the
Blackfeet Tribal Council !.
The names may not be technical
Nv correct nor the list complete.
but I am willing TO accept the
project as safe. IL II can pass the
inspection Of the long list of
agencies involved.
Let's worry about what We can