Will Coggin’s letter to the Journal (Oct. 7) berated the good work of Trout Unlimited on a national scale. In reality, that letter only serves to demonstrate that true, boots-on-the-ground sportsmen are starting to have a real impact in the overall conservation discussion. A little research turns up that the Environmental Policy Alliance has a one-man staff consisting of the letter’s author, one Will Coggin. While Coggin gives appropriate recognition to local, on-the-ground efforts of TU chapters in Colorado for doing great conservation work on behalf of anglers (like our chapter here, the Dolores River anglers), he claims TU’s national office is “left wing” because it is guilty of accepting funding from “liberal” foundations. What he too conveniently failed to mention is that TU also accepts funding from the energy industry, mining companies, the agricultural industry, and the outdoor sportsman industry – donations made because TU works effectively with those industries to ensure responsible development practices that balance our nation’s outdoor sporting heritage with the needs of a healthy economy.
Coggin really works for the PR firm Berman and Co. and operates out of a downtown D.C. Office. The Environmental Policy Alliance is a front-group created by Berman and Co. (the company’s namesake, Rick Berman, was once called “Dr. Evil” by CBS’s 60 Minutes) and is funded by unnamed supporters whose sole agenda appears to be to go after groups like TU that work to ensure a multi-generational quality of life. TU is a respected, national not-for-profit with fully transparent books. For every dollar TU brings in, 89 cents goes to on-the-ground conservation work, virtually all in concert with local chapters, the remaining 11 cents goes to administration. Check out the Environmental Policy Alliance’s website – you won’t find a shred of financial information. In fact, take a look at the two web sites environmentalpolicyalliance.org and tu.org – the sites speak volumes for themselves.
Matt Clark, Trout Unlimited
Cortez