I am preaching revolution these days—not violent revolution—but revolution nonetheless. By this I mean we need an “assertedly momentous change” in our government at all levels, particularly at the state level. Momentous reform will come about only if two elements are in place: a reason, and a way to bring reform about.

Why do we need to reform state government? The facts are that in Georgia, our air and water are among the dirtiest in the nation. Sixty percent of the state’s waters are not suitable for swimming or drinking. Air pollution from too many cars and coal-fired power plants is so bad in Atlanta that the Feds have cut off funds for highway projects.

But the most telling evidence is what you can see with your own eyes. I experienced this reality shock this summer during a traditional celebration. For the last twenty-three years we have had an annual pig roast near the Chattooga River. We shovel hot coals for two days, slowly barbequing meat and preparing a great table of delicacies. The two or three of us who are keepers of the flame get pretty hot and tired while chopping wood and shoveling coals, and after many hours we head to the river for a refreshing swim. This year, for the first time during this annual ritual I couldn’t even walk to the water’s edge without slipping on the algae-covered rocks. Heavy fertilizers, development, golf course runoff and pesticide residue are apparent from just walking into the river!

I am very determined to keep attacking these problems. How do we do it? It will not be easy, because our foes are rich and wield much power in state legislatures. Here are a few examples of woefully inadequate state laws, which we must change.

First, North Carolina: A recent ruling by a brave judge revealed a vast contradiction in water quality protection laws. As they now exist, the laws provide two different standards to protect streams. One law says that turbidity standards must not exceed a specific quantifiable number. But on the other hand, another law says that if a developer follows BMPs (Best Management Practices), they can exceed this numerical standard.

Contrary to state propaganda, Best Management Practices are not enforceable for the following reasons. One, they are voluntary, not mandatory. Two, if BMPs were mandatory, they could hardly be enforced because the state’s allocated funds for monitoring and enforcement are extremely small. And three, positive incentives and educational programs for erosion and sedimentation control are low priority. The net result is that massive ground disturbing activities are not policed, and our rivers and streams get polluted.

In South Carolina, forests that have just begun to recover from the massive timber harvesting binge at the turn of the century are again under assault from huge timber companies moving back South, to reap the harvest with mass production technology. Landowners who have timberland and wish to manage it for income often consult the state’s certified foresters, many of whom are trained to recommend harvest techniques such as large scale clearcutting to feed the growing boom and bust forest industry in South Carolina.

Meanwhile, state law restricts any forester from practicing forestry unless they are certified by a state board that is dominated by industry foresters. For instance, the last question on the state exam is “justify clearcutting.” I have personal knowledge of this scam because I recently received a “Cease and Desist” order from the state, for simply introducing myself as a “forester” during a presentation at the University of SC in Columbia. Even though I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management, they maintained that I violated Department of Labor laws for calling myself a forester, because I was not state-certified. Meanwhile, the burgeoning chip mill industry in South Carolina continues to gobble up forests faster than they can grow back, and is fueled by state foresters who recommend to private landowners that their forest be clearcut.

In Georgia, the Southern Company is constructing a massive electric power line system throughout the state. Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC), the “non-profit” arm of Southern Company, is well on its way to plowing through communities and public lands in Georgia with high voltage transmission lines to prepare for deregulation. I believe their obvious intent is to establish transmission systems for marketing Georgia’s dirty, unregulated power when the free-for-all ensues. In addition to poor air quality from power plant emissions, Georgia stands out as one of the only states in the nation granting the power of eminent domain to power line transmission ventures, with no oversight over where the lines go or what they destroy.

These are just three examples of why so many of our streams are dirty, and our air is fouled. We need to begin “radical” reformation of our state legislatures, which are allowing unrestricted industrial development run roughshod over our Southern states. Citizens know what to do: VOTE for good stewards of the land in November, not polluting industry lackies.

Back to the Top