WASHINGTON, D.C. — Anglers and boaters do not need the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), right? What do federal administrators know about local boating and fishing issues?
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4 Responses
The EPA is out of control. Regulations benefit special interest groups who obtain most grant money. Environmentalist are just like rest of liberal groups. Want someone else to pay for their agenda.
In response to one reader’s comment that the “EPA is out of control”, is a typical knee-jerk reaction of a blanket statement that takes a “broad brush” approach to the issues without taking anything into consideration. Instead, one should take into consideration of what are the ramifications if the EPA were completely abolished. First, I would site some of the examples of the benefits that the EPA Abolishment article pointed out that a state-run agency would have more difficulty enacting on it’s own, let alone the difficulties of doing so with strained state budgets, such as California’s. A good example of that is the EPA investment in 2016 of $182 million to help fund clean drinking water, wastewater infrastructure and water pollution programs. You really think the California State Legislature could afford to pass that on to the taxpayers? Shut your eyes and think of Christmas if you think that’s possible. The article also points out the ability of the EPA to partner with national agencies such as the case in 2014 when the EPA and the NOAA ( a federal agency) worked together WITH California agencies to restrict the use of an herbicide threatening endangered salmon and steelhead trout.
My family and I experienced first hand of what our environment was like in the early 70’s growing up in Southern California and the changes our surrounding environment went through starting from when my relatives first settled in the San Gabriel Valley in 1900 to get started in the then-booming citrus business to the present day. There was no smog in 1900. But by the time the 70’s came about, it was a completely different story. I grew up in the town of Glendora back then and that very town was considered one of the worst in air quality in all of Southern California. Often times, our grade schools would release us @ Noon to go home when the air quality would reach Stage 2 smog alert levels. I still vividly remember how your eyes would sting and your throat would burn from the high smog levels. Many thanks to the Nixon Administration’s help in forming the EPA in 1970 and the AQMD’s involvement (Air Quality Management District) that helped set regulatory actions such requiring vehicles to have catalytic converters installed to help remove harmful omissions. What a difference its been since then on how bad it use to be verses how much better the air is now in So. Calif. I also remember the terrible issues we had with chemicals such as DDT and its after-effects that we don’t have to experience anymore. That was an ecological nightmare back then. Growing up in So. Calif. has allowed me to enjoy the wilderness areas around us and to be blessed with the deep-sea fishing opportunities that I’ve enjoyed for over 40 years and continue to do so. I think the real solution in not abolishing the EPA, but rather to refine it by giving states more “room at the table” to work in conjunction with agencies such as the EPA to help better and preserve the environment for us and our future generations. In the end, I don’t want my son to say to me someday “Hey dad, tell me again what it was like when you could catch Bluefin and Yellow fin tuna off the coast of California?” Let’s not get to that scenario.
Well stated Dan . . . especially today, after reading Scott Pruitt’s emails (finally made public after a two-year lawsuit) revealing his chummy relationship with the billionaire Koch brothers and fossil fuel industry. Whether liberal or conservative, Joe Public needs to wake up and pressure those in power to represent, “We The People,” not special interest groups/industries.
Fisher woman. ..like men….fished most of my life…arch conservative fence sitting republican. Worked with very
sensable men . Please read more before jumping to conclusions.