Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 25, 1993                   TAG: 9304230470
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LOCALITIES SHOULD BE KEY PLAYERS

I would agree that environmental regulations can get too rigid, and currently are in some areas. However, I disagree with the analysis of how we got to this point. The editorial points to Americans thinking "no amount of money is too much to eliminate the most faintly perceived danger." But the public outcry that brought about the current flurry of regulations was rooted in very real environmental and health concerns.

At the fourth annual Environmental Symposium in Lexington on April 6, I had the opportunity to hear Gov. Wilder, heads of the air, water and waste-management agencies and the director of the new Department of Environmental Quality. They all stated that pollution prevention is the No. 1 priority for the new agency and stressed that local governments will be key players in effective pollution prevention. Through recent changes in Virginia law, local governments were empowered to consider resource protection in their planning and zoning ordinances. During a question-and-answer period for a panel of state senators, I asked Sen. Frank Nolen about incentives or mandates for local governments to utilize these new powers. He said it was up to the citizens to get local government moving. Put pressure on them, "that's the way it's done in Richmond."

If we want to avoid costly, mostly ineffective regulations we must take local action. As Kurt Vonnegut said, "We must stop thinking science can fix anything if we give it a trillion dollars." WAYNE WEIKEL Virginia Water Project Inc. ROANOKE