by Pam Taylor
My thoughts are
below, as a descendant of five generations of Lenawee County farmers, and after
spending many hours testing water and air around
CAFOs with
ECCSCM.
This also gave me the opportunity to observe
effects of the oil well drilling process here in the area.
Once you start to carefully watch the
patterns in water, soil, and air, you start to notice many things.
I'm going to leave the big questions (sustainable energy
options, "feed the world", humane animal treatment) out of this, and
just focus on a few things.
Obviously, once Big
Pollution is here, there are fewer options. But elections are important. And so
is protection for citizens.
- Elect officials
who are able to see beyond the short term, and who see beyond $$$$. Balance is
important. Yes, jobs are important. Good jobs, with decent pay and benefits,
and that don't require selling out life's basic needs like water and air. Once
you start allowing extractive industries, you are on a slippery slope that is
not going to get any better, ever.
- Here is Michigan's
law regarding oil/well drilling:
MICHIGAN ZONING
ENABLING ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 110 of 2006,
125.3205 Ordinance subject to MCL 460.561 to 460.575; regulation or control of
oil or gas wells; prohibition.
Sec. 205. (1) An
ordinance adopted under this act is subject to the electric transmission line
certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.561 to 460.575.
(2) A county or
township shall not regulate or control the drilling, completion, or operation
of oil or gas wells or other wells drilled for oil or gas exploration purposes
and shall not have jurisdiction with reference to the issuance of permits for
the location, drilling, completion, operation, or abandonment of such wells.
History: 2006, Act
110, Eff. July 1, 2006.
Vote for people in
local and state-level offices who will repeal this, or at the very minimum, who
will change it. Oil/gas environmental groups need to challenge this in court -
it has been done successfully. It is ridiculous to put such a burden on local
governments. At the very least, at the Federal level, overturn the
"Halliburton rule", and, locally, the name and every chemical and
substance used in well drilling should be easily and quickly available for each
individual well.
Also, this statute
says nothing about cities and/or villages. Elect folks with some common sense,
who don't have dollar signs in their eyes, and can fairly weigh the positives
vs. the negatives.
- Require much
higher performance bonds (contingency money that has to be put aside in case
there are "incidents" or road damage, etc.) for potential polluters
like CAFOs and oil/gas drillers. On the local level, require an additional
operating fee or tax (to come from the oil/gas well or CAFO owner profits) to
cover Nos. 4, 5, and 6 below. I'm not sure, but I think that all government
entities (including counties and townships) could do this, so why aren't local
governments looking into this? This is something that local people have been
requesting for some time.
- Require polluters
such as CAFOs and oil/gas well drillers to set up continuous air quality and water
monitoring, including monitoring drinking water wells in key areas. Make them
pay for independent labs to do the tests. Results should be available to the
public at all times.
- Eliminate
self-reporting of required periodic tests (field tests for nutrient application
and soil for CAFOs, and around oil/gas well sites before/after drilling) and
make sure that these required tests are done by independent labs, that the
results are kept in a State database which is always accessible to all, and there
are punitive fines and consequences for those who fail to do this - including
closure of the well or CAFO.
- Set up a local,
immediate, emergency response system for spills/accidents/incidents. (Not
PEAS!!!) Make sure all chemicals and
substances are known and that lists of these easily available to the public at
all times.
- Elect officials
who support "polluter pay" laws. The transferring of costs for
damages caused by businesses to taxpayers needs to stop. The harm outweighs the
benefits of jobs, jobs, jobs.
- Michigan's Right
to Farm law, the MDEQ, MDARD, MDNR, and the entire EQIP (federal subsidy money
available for farm manure management, among other things) program including the
makeup of the NRCS in Michigan, needs to be overhauled, and there needs to be
honest oversight of how this money is used. Elect officials who have the
courage to do this.
- Support
sustainable farmers, and farmers' markets. There are many in Lenawee County,
and they do a wonderful job. Use tax money to help these farm businesses by
electing officials who will work to change the subsidy process to help them,
instead of promoting more pollution. Help them set up food hubs and other new
ventures. Here in Lenawee, we have an over-abundance of fantastic, local, good
food. We have an abundance of folks who could use this fantastic, local, good
food - instead they are forced by income level to buy crappy products at the
cheapest possible prices. What can local government and agencies do to bring
these two groups together to make sure that this food is available when, where,
in the right packaging, and at the right price for all?
I do realize this
would require a major shift in thinking away from 100% $$$$$ now, now, now. And
there are lots of larger issues regarding sustainable energy, sustainable food,
and the world we live in - those are conversations that need to take place.
But I can dream,
can't I?
Pam Taylor
Work for something
because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed. -- Vaclav
Havel
