Shooting at sacred cows is a practice I try to avoid if possible, but there are times during discussions of environmental matters when certain words really set me off.
“Compromise” and “education” are two of those triggers, and they were frequently brandished about at the second reading on Feb. 15 of the Streamside Protection Ordinance that the Fayetteville City Council is considering.
(The last reading will be March 1.)
When I took my turn at the citizens’ podium, it already had been a long night with dozens of folks stating their opinions from an almost evenly divided audience. Waiting though over four hours of testimony gave those of uslistening to the speakers a lot of time to stew in our own juices and internally react to various things being said.
Numerous people, including one or two aldermen, said “education” for streamside landowners would be the best solution for stopping non-point source pollution entering designated “Protected Streams.” “Non-point source” means that the pollution enters air, water, or soil from places that cannot be pinpointed, unlike an industry’s waste pipe or smokestack can.
For those, who believe that the easy and comfortable way to attain clean water just takes providing a little enlightenment, the news flash is that education is what we’ve always had.
In grade school (waterruns downhill ... ), in high school ( ... causing erosion), in college ( ... and carries phosphorus and numerous other pollutants).
In adulthood, if we are not unconscious, we surely are aware of flooding damage and oil spill destruction, but what we tend to ignore are crop pesticides, oil and gasoline leaks, manure and chicken litter, sediment, sewage, household cleansers, lawn chemicals, soap, flushed medicines, paints, solvents, batteries, plastics, rotting garbage, rusting dumps, and even baby diapers and pet droppings. All of these things can and do enter our waterways and most of them come from “non-point” locations. We like to think all of this stuff is taken out of our water before we drink it. The sad truth is that not everything can be removed because wesimply do not know what all to look for in this huge mix of ingredients.
Blocking or slowing down water helps filter pollutants out onto the land before they can reach streams, which is why trees and other vegetation buffering waterways are so important. Numerous local, state, and federal agencies have long existed to educate and advise anyone, who wants to learn about land and water stewardship, and various workshops are often held. Call the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, 444-1755, for information about the March 5 workshop.
However, no education makes a hill-of-beans worthof difference if someone decides to not practice what was taught. In that case, everyone’s water quality suffers.
My rather disparaging remark at the last council meeting was based on knowing that it is an assumption that we will all be on the same page after “education” is performed, and wrongs will be righted, and a bright future will shine over yon hill. For that to happen, however, we must first all have the same priorities. At the last reading of this ordinance, it was clear that in spite of declaring water quality as a noble thing, some property owners said, “I have plans to use that area along the stream differently,” or “Everyone should help stop this pollution, not just those of us along steams.” Yes, everyone should do everythingpossible to prevent water contamination, but streamside owners are on the front lines of public efforts. An extremely confusing and exasperating aspect in this debate from the anti-ordinance side was the repeated claim that they were already doingthe right thing along their streamsides. If so, then this ordinance would have no effect on their lives so why the obstinacy?
Education is a luxury of time. When time runs out, as it has for water quality to become better without even more serious measures being taken, then leadership has to kick-in to do what is necessary for the “health, safety, and welfare” of citizens. We’ve already expended our luxury of time and compromised our abundance of clean plentiful water, and now, like our expenditure of oil, we must practice what we’ve long known we should do, but about which we’ve been apathetic or have ignored or denied.
As one pro-ordinance speaker pointed out, speed limits are not there for those who do not speed, but, if enforced, to protect us from those who do.
Water protection is no different.
FRAN ALEXANDER IS A FAYETTEVILLE RESIDENT WITH A LONG-STANDING INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND AN OPINION ON ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE.
Opinion, Pages 15 on 02/27/2011