E-M:/ DEQ Wetland Oversight

[Darryl Braun <darrylrich@yahoo.com>]

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Enviro-Mich message from Darryl Braun <darrylrich@yahoo.com>
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On May 24, The Detroit News published an article
titled, "Metro area wetlands oversight diminishes". It
was an exasperating expose which lent itself to
further assessment and critique. However, it was
another example of what I refer to as "hit and run"
journalism. These are pieces covered in the mainstream
media which seem quite provocative, but the media will
not revisit the story (return to the scene of the
crime, so to speak), at least in the near future,
owing to its perception of its readership's short
attention span, closing off any avenue of expression
for addressing debatable issues.

For example, DEQ officials contend in the expose that
they cannot adequately perform their regulatory
functions, because they are under funded and
understaffed. Yet, Director Harding noted in his "From
Our Readers" submission in response to last August's
Free Press article about our organization's battle
with the DEQ to compel regulation of a 12 acre site,
that the Agency is doing far more now with less
funding.

The DEQ noted that they were not pursuing action
against one particular violator (developer) because
his violation involved such a relatively small amount
of wetland. However, that developer is an unrepentant
repeat offender, and his violations continue to
multiply, not to mention that it is the violation
itself, and not the size of the site violated, which
should have significance. In addition, we must be
concerned with the message conveyed by the Agency's
concession that a violation will likely go unpunished
if it is small enough.

Not one individual speaking on behalf of the industry
acknowledged, or even attempted to convey any genuine
concern by industry members for wise land stewardship
or environmental concern. In fact, one contended
merely that he was no worse than any other developer.
That is tantamount to Hitler contending that he is no
worse than Stalin!

Finally, most disturbing, and simultaneously ironic, a
spokesperson for a construction industry association
group, claimed that developers do not abuse
regulations because they fear the substantial
penalties imposed by oversight agents. If it were not
so tragic, it would be laughable that such a
proclamation would be uttered in an expose of the
DEQ's wetland violation oversight dereliction. In any
event, as we in the environmental community have
become all too sadly aware, fines are either too often
overturned by higher courts, or are built into cost
structures, thereby negating their deterrence value.
And again, one must observe that the 'developer' made
no contention whatsoever that good stewardship played
any role in avoiding the commission of violations.
Rather, the obviously unwarranted fear of financial
punition appeared to be his sole concern.

When referring to the DEQ and wetland protection,
'oversight' is an ironically apt word, as it can have
applied to it two contradictory meanings. While the
writer may have intended to address its 'custodial'
connotation, I contend that one could only accurately
perceive its 'omission' connotation. The destroyed
Inkster wetland site in Inkster was an unfortunate
victim of this oversight, regardless of which
connotation one applies to the term.

Darryl Braun
Citizens United for Action



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