ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
MEMO: shorter in Metro edition.
Dueling commissions get to work this week evaluating Gov. George Allen's environmental record.
A Democrat-appointed panel meets Thursday to look into environmentalists' concerns about Allen slashing enforcement staff and seeking to eliminate some regulations.
Allen got the jump on the Democrats on Tuesday by empaneling his own commission to make what he termed "balanced" recommendations.
Competing commissions are fast becoming a standard feature on the highly partisan landscape of the Virginia General Assembly. Last year, Allen appointed a juvenile justice panel after Democratic lawmakers had embarked on their own study.
Earlier this year, the General Assembly established a Democrat-inspired subcommittee to look into various environmental issues, including funding for the state Department of Environmental Quality.
Some Democrats say the Allen administration has been so accommodating to polluters that many career DEQ staffers fear they could lose their jobs if they enforce environmental regulations.
Republican lawmakers persuaded Allen to appoint his own commission, in part to inoculate Attorney General Jim Gilmore - the presumed GOP candidate for governor next year - from any "green" fallout.
"George Allen has finally figured out that the environment is his albatross right now," said House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk.
Allen said critics ignore recent measures that show improvement in the state's water and air quality. But he played down the role of federal laws such as the Clean Air Act, saying that a "significant portion" of reduced pollutants can be traced to voluntary efforts by industry.
"Most individuals want to do right," he said.
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB