Re[2]: [at-l] silent spring

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob C.)]

"...The government, in my opinion, is the least capable entity for protecting
the environment, since - in the end - the government is for sale to the highest
bidder...," says Shane.

  This is a cliche -- that like most -- is both wrong,and has a small element of
  truth that disguises the wrongness.

  Government is people. People haven't been perfected. Government therefore is
  imperfect.

  But the major improvements to the environment in recent decades have been the
  result of government action -- the passage and enforcement of laws.

  The river the enters the ocean a few miles south of my house was one of the 10
  dirtiest in the nation in 1970. Every summer millions of fish died a few miles
  to the north as decaying industrial chemicals and wastes used up the oxygen in
  the water. Thousands of acres of shellfish flats in the river estuary were
  closed to harvesting.

  No industry and no municipality treated their wastes. Towns argued "God
  intended that we dump our wastes in the water. It's the natural way." Industry
  insisted it would leave if forced to clean up their effluents.

  We began the battle for a clean up in 1958. The first tentative laws were
  passed in the early 60s, despite massive industry lobbying. The Maine laws
  were the model for federal legislation. By the deadline in 1975, only one
  paper mill in Maine was still in gross violation.

  Rather than leave, most of the companies doubled or tripled their capacity,
  since the cleanup essentially require a rebuilding of all their processes,
  making expansions attractive.

  All kinds of things happened as a result. The shellfish flats reopened. Half
 million dollar new homes were built on the edge of waters that once were so
 polluted no one had thought of living nearby. The tax assessors suddenly
 decided my $2,900 property was worth $300,000. We lost our state school subsidy
 because we became a "rich coastal town."

  But one thing is positive. The basic cleanup was absolutely the product of
  government action. It absolutely would not have happened without new laws and
  reasonable enforcement.

  The battle continues. Last year a dam was removed through government
  intervention that had blocked migrating salmon since 1830. Our flats are
  closed after every heavy rain because municipalities are still dragging their
  feet over doing what the law requires.

  But progress is made only when determine citizens join together and insist on
  the passage of laws and the enforcement of laws.

  Weary