Regarding the Chesapeake Bay, I was at a recent EPC meeting when, during a break, Dave Petty, one of the EPC members, came over to where Ed Tormey and Randy Clark (DNR lawyers) and I were standing. He started talking about the "damn environmentalists" who were blaming CAFOs (chickens in that case) for the pollution of the Bay. He claimed it was the increasing human population around the Bay that was causing the problem. I said I doubted that since human waste is treated before it is discharged; animal waste is not. He claimed he had seen the studies. He probably saw the information Farm Bureau gave him. And this is a member of the EPC appointed by Vilsack and reappointed by Culver (or Patty Judge).
Wally Taylor
The Chesapeake pollution issues are NOT driven by computer modeling, but by
irect measurement of pollutants and absence of normal lifeforms.
-----Original Message-----
From: Searles, Leland <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, Dec 4, 2010 2:16 pm
Subject: Re: I always thought an "environmental lawyer" worked for the environment...
This line from the attorney, Bodine, contains a grotesque oversimplification.
t's the kind of junky statement that I expect from such a meeting and the
and-picked presenters it has:
are just a few examples of issues driven by 'computer modeling and inaccurate
ssumptions.' "
he Chesapeake pollution issues are NOT driven by computer modeling, but by
irect measurement of pollutants and absence of normal lifeforms. Some of the
owa rules (antidegradation is mentioned) are based on citizen and professional
esting of water quality, not least of which occurs at major municipal drinking
ater facilities.
odeling is made necessary in many cases by absence of better data. I work with
he DNR Air Quality Bureau, and they have a rank order list of preferred forms
f data for issuing air permits to facilities. Stack testing, followed by
odeling, is second, and it is driven by knowledge of industrial through-put and
tack measurements of pollutants. Pure modeling is well down the list. The
peaker distorts the situation in Iowa, if not in other states, and
isrepresents the guidance from EPA on how to establish levels of pollution in
ir and water. This is what counts as "sound science" - highly biased
isrepresentations of the realities of what regulatory agencies actually do,
ften in cooperation with the regulated agencies, various organizations, and
itizen volunteers.
f the evidence of agricultural contributions to air pollution and greenhouse
ases wasn't already clear enough five to ten years ago, the research that has
een done in the last year or two puts the icing on the cake, that agricultural
ir and water (including, importantly, so-called nonpoint sources) emissions of
ollution and agricultural releases of methane and other greenhouse gases are
ignificant. While many farm organizations prefer voluntary adoption of control
echniques, rather than legislated or regulated approaches, the evidence also is
lear that voluntary programs to reduce air toxics (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide)
nd nutrients in surface waterways ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.
ost environmental lawyers do go where the money is, I think, as Wally Taylor
oted. I've been in the room trying to hammer out policy recommendations with
orporate lawyers, and they do their jobs very well: obstruct, hinder, stall,
ake sideways accusations and implications, etc. It's too bad that corporations
ren't more interested in accuracy and truth. But then American culture,
conomics, and politics are based on self-interest, not ethical
esponsibilities. Mission statements are often subterfuges, pretty language and
ittle more. A musician/poet once describe such stuff as "antimatter language
esigned to conceal."
ee Searles
ir Quality Program
owa Environmental Council
es Moines
________________________________
From: Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements on behalf of Cindy Hildebrand
ent: Fri 12/3/2010 10:06 PM
o: [log in to unmask]
ubject: I always thought an "environmental lawyer" worked for the
nvironment...
..but after reading the last paragraph in the article below, I see I was
istaken.
indy
ttp://www.ifbf.org/article.aspx?articleID=21494
Cindy Hildebrand
[log in to unmask]
mes, IA 50010
"Flood control dams have no relation to the cause of floods. Check dams and
erraces do not touch the cause of erosion...The practices we now call
onservation are, to a large extent, local alleviations of biotic pain. They are
ecessary, but they must not be confused with cures." (Aldo Leopold)
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