Anti environmental movement explored further

http://www.freedom.org/news/200610/27/parmeter.phtmlLetter to the Editor:

By Don Parmeter

October 27, 2006

Letter to the Editor Sent to all dailies and weeklies in 8th CD plus Minneapolis Star and St. Paul Pioneer Press.

October 23, 2006

To the Editor:

Rod Grams deserves tremendous praise from Minnesota citizens, whether party-affiliated or independent, for exposing a radical and unprecedented expansion of federal control sponsored by 8th District Congressman James Oberstar. The bill, H.R. 1356, know as the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act, proposes to expand the jurisdiction of the federal government over all waters and affected lands in the country.

The bill would broaden federal authority by amending the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to include "all waters" of the United States instead of "navigable waters." According to the bill, this would include:

"... lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, natural ponds, and all impoundments of the foregoing, to the fullest extent that these waters, or activities affecting these waters, are subject to the legislative power of Congress under the Constitution."

There is perhaps no district in the nation that would be more impacted by this legislation than the 8th District of Minnesota, which Mr. Oberstar represents. Water exists virtually everywhere, and it's hard to conceive of any type of human activity that wouldn't be covered. For example, over half of all of Minnesota's wetlands are located within the 8th District.

That Congressman Oberstar would consider being the lead sponsor of such a bill is almost inconceivable. That he would do it without public hearings or meetings in his own district is beyond comprehension. There are undoubtedly national special interest groups pressuring Congress to support this kind of legislation. But, I am not aware of any local elected body or organization within the 8th District that has openly supported the bill. I doubt that most are even aware of it.

Make no mistake, this bill is not about environmental protection. It is about unprecedented federal control of land, water and people. Its purpose, at least in part, is to overturn recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that went in favor of local citizens.

Many would assume that such a radical bill would have no chance of passing. This is a bad assumption, since there are already 167 co-sponsors of the bill. It is significant to note that other Congressmen (from both political parties) representing rural Minnesota oppose Oberstar's bill.

I don't know if Mr. Oberstar is simply out of touch with his constituents, or if he simply believes he is untouchable. Whatever the reason, citizens of the 8th District(and other districts and states, for that matter), owe Rod Grams a debt of gratitude for bringing this legislation to light. People of the 8th District can express that gratitude at the polls on November 7th.

Don Parmeter
International Falls, MN
(218)285-7002