10/8/98
The recent river summit held in Maine at Sebasco Harbor
Estates, near the mouth of the Kennebec River focused on the
health of Maine's watersheds, and a strategy to protect them.
Most of Maine's landmass includes areas that fall within the
definition of watershed. According to Random House dictionary, a
watershed is: "The ridge or crest line dividing two drainage
areas; the region or area drained by a river, stream etc.;"
When thinking of Maine, it is difficult to identify any areas
that do not meet this definition. What a specious way to affect
the 95% of Maine that is privately owned. Does this affect your
corner of the world?
The question is not in the massive area affected by
"restoration efforts" to improve water quality, but
rather, Why? Why is this "new crisis" such an issue
now? Is it because Chris Brown of the National Park Service, in
addressing the River Summit participants, criticized Maine for
being one of only four states that did not nominate a river to be
part of President Clinton's historic American Heritage Rivers
Initiative? Maine towns and property owners rather should be
commended for the great effort that has been accomplished in
turning around the quality of the state's rivers.
Current attempts to "restore" Maine's rivers to
"pre-environmental wreck" status, (a guilt status
described by Donald Hooper of the National Wildlife Federation in
an October 5th BDN front page story), leads one to wonder:
One can't help but wonder if after the misleading, distasteful
aspects of dams, mills and shoreland development are addressed,
will the new generation of "environmental elitist
saviors" find their place in tourism competing with locals
to manage businesses in what is already a great environment? Is
it their turn now?
The undeveloped nations have been easy targets in which to
implement these low-key service economies. This type of social
engineering and land use planning is more difficult in America
where free enterprise has focused on a natural resource based
industrial economy. As the technology age matures, attempts are
made through over-regulation, to push our natural resource
industries offshore, or to over-regulate them into oblivion. The
environment, becomes a distracting focus for this economic
rollover, as well as a new frontier for a coming-of-age
generation schooled in misrepresented environmental thought.
Although an interesting strategy, this environmental industry's
agenda is not based on the sound principles of planning, true
science, nor the constitution.
This "new focus" on Maine's rivers leads one to think
of what advantages are gained by those who stand to personally
benefit from pushing guilt on the rest of us Mainers for not
caring for "their"environment. It is clear that this
summit focusing on an in-state, grassroots effort, is nothing
more than the American Heritage Rivers Initiative [AHRI]
revisited.
The AHRI was created by Executive Order without funding or
approval by Congress. In fact, some members of Congress are so
concerned about the initiation and implementation of AHRI they
have sued the federal government. Mr. Brown of the National Park
Service, did not note the number of states and areas that have
attempted under extreme guidelines, to opt out of the program.
Some have been successful. Others have not. Maine is to be
commended for having the foresight to see through this federal
bureaucratic boondoggle which would invite13 federal agencies to
directly help with local planning issues within our watersheds.
The national war over the American Heritage Rivers Initiative
goes on, surfacing again as battles move to "a watershed
near you," in the form of this type of summit urging
grassroots local effort (via guilt and scare tactics) to enlist
supporters of what basically is a very unclear, unfounded and
questionable agenda. I can think of no easier way to impose
controls over Maine's entire landmass while breaking down the
political jurisdictions of towns or counties, and replacing them
with "communities" defined by biological boundaries
within watersheds.
The in-state focus on watersheds mirrors the AHRI. The AHRI is
the brainstorm of Katy McGinty, of the Council on Environmental
Quality. She is the prodigy of EPA head Carol Browner who is
considered one of the most dangerous woman in America, according
to the October 1997 Forbes magazine. Next to her stalwart photo
is the alert: "Watch out for this woman. The EPA's Carol
Browner is exploiting health and the environment to build a power
base." Not exactly, what one might consider an honorable
environmental goal. Well look out Maine, her supporters in
training are on the move!
Oh, the final definition for watershed according to Random House
dictionary is: "A point of division as between two periods
of history."
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