Joe Turnham: Stronger policies must be made to protect state’s resources

JOE TURNHAM
GUEST COLUMNIST
Published: March 3, 2008

By any measure, the State of Alabama is an environmental wonder. Besides our unusual and diverse geological features, Alabama is home to one-twelfth of the lower 48 states’ fresh water.

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is one of the richest estuaries in North America. Alabama’s aquatic diversity and rich landscapes are unique on planet earth. Yet few regulatory bodies in our nation are as weak and poorly financed as the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) or ADEM.

If it were not for federal laws and mandates like the Clean Air and Water Acts; NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, etc. it would be hard to find rules or statutes at the EMC departmental level that equal or surpass federal standards.

Recent rules on toughening water quality standard enforcement standards by the EMC is a good start, but recent debacles like the ouster and legal pursuit of former EMC board member and EMC reformer Pat Byington by Gov. Bob Riley and powerful industries that are regulated by the EMC, sent a scary signal to Alabama consumers. Byington was leading a fledgling coalition of conservation and consumer-minded EMC members and ADEM reform coalitions to reshape the program priorities of the EMC several years ago.

Strong environmental protection and economic development can go hand in hand, balancing the needs for investment growth, job creation and protection of public health. Alabama’s executive branch oversees multiple agencies that have statutory mandates to protect resources and public health. Septic tanks are overseen by the Alabama Department of Public Health. Water quantity planning is done by the Office of Water Resources at ADECA. Wastewater discharge permitting is done by ADEM. Game and non-game wildlife programs are overseen by the Department of Natural
Resources.

Unfortunately, many of the environmental/public safety activities under the governor’s oversight are not coordinated and not designed to protect the public interests. In the recent controversies surrounding the local rock quarries in Loachapoka, Auburn and Opelika; Lee County citizens found they had no planning and zoning authority and virtually no due process to prevent a major new quarry from being located on major watersheds.

They had little in the way of redress other than inane nuisance and property right lawsuits. Various agencies had narrow authority, but at the end of the tunnel the consumer loses.

Even with Alabama’s abundant water resources, climate change and drought have threatened Alabama’s water welfare. A lack of leadership on the natural resource and environmental protection front by Riley will not ensure our health and welfare in the future. Under Gov. Don Siegelman, Alabama formed an Alabama Environmental Reform Study Task Force on which I, along with several dozen industry, government and environmental quality representatives served. Since that date, little has been done in the Riley years to balance the public’s need to be protected versus the influence of powerful special interests.

There are many good Alabama citizens and state employees that work on these boards and in these agencies. Many do incredible things with little funding and with laws that do not empower them to do their jobs adequately. We need to hear from them and learn from them. I have learned from my environmental advocacy and my political work that it will take a long-term, collaborative effort to begin solving these issues.

Nothing however will happen until the masses of Alabama voters of both political parties demand that stronger protections be enacted that protect resources and public health.
Polling data indicates that Alabama voters care deeply about Alabama’s incredible natural resources and want strong environmental protection. They are far ahead of public policy, but that can change starting today.

Joe Turnham is Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.