Thursday, February 23, 2012

Our Say: Environmental cleanups aren't automatic job-killers

Published 01/05/12

The boy who cried wolf was an amateur; industries confronted with proposed anti-pollution rules are professionals, or at least can afford professional lobbyists. Propose new regulations to clean up the air or the water, and industry representatives and farming lobbies launch into a death scene worthy of grand opera.

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For all the exaggeration, these displays reflect real anxieties. No one, particularly when the economy is wobbly, wants to be targeted by new government regulations or change accustomed ways of doing business or growing crops. But if this country is to have a reasonable environmental policy, someone has to make the other...

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created jobs - 2012-01-06 07:16:04

An Associated Press analysis has found that more than 32 mostly coal-fired power plants in a dozen states will be forced to close because of the new, more stringent regulations. Another 36 plants are at risk of closing.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/20/power-plant-closures-due-to-environmental-regulations-to-take-toll-on-towns/

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Now You Know - , - Karma: Neutral

On Mercury - 2012-01-05 19:02:15

The Capital editors seem to lack any critical thinking skills. They must just print every bit of propaganda from the CBF without doing any real invetsigation.

Here is a more realistic take on what is happening with regard to mercury output from coal fired power plants.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/12/26/shutting-down-power-plants-imaginary-benefits-extensive-harm/

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John Taylor - Millersville, MD - Karma: Bad

Fuzzy logic - 2012-01-05 18:52:33

Ok, lets take this at face value.

It what is said actually makes ecomomic sense, what are the limits?

If its such a great job creator, I guess we should double, triple, quadruple these efforts.

But the fact of the matter is that they dont actually create economic benefit.

They are ultimatly a drain on the economy as they siphon funds for worthwile projects that enhance economic activity.

These projects are great until you run out of someone elses money to fund them.

Case in point. If these dubious projects add $200 a year to a persons electric bill, where else could that money have been spent?

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John Taylor - Millersville, MD - Karma: Bad

Doing do the 'right' thing. - 2012-01-05 17:52:44

Pollution is a tax and its no longer hidden. Mercury from power plants was poisoning the Bay and fish stock, thats a tax. Run-off destroys stream beds, the resulting siltation kill underwater grasses which are habitat for crab and oysters, thats a tax. Run-off from parking lots channel pollutant into the storm water system and then the bay, a tax. Failing septic tanks and developments on septic systems pollute ground water, thats a tax. Farmers, live stock producers all contribute. The burden for correcting these violations belongs to the individual and or corporation responsible for inflow. That is a conservative point of view. Failed sanitary treatment plants, property engineered infrastructure projects; those are the government (our) responsibility. No one has the right to pollute.

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harry trampolini - severna park, MD - Karma: Excellent

Job Creation - 2012-01-05 13:54:33

What this column fails to mention is that the vast majority of these created jobs are government funded. Our tax dollars are being used to hire and pay employees to build this infrastructure and monitor and manage these new programs and regulations.

Now, I'm not necessarily against programs that address environmental problems. But the argument that these are good for the economy is really a stretch (unless the economy is improved by requiring people like you and me to pay more taxes).

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Jen H - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Good