THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9511010010
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
Governor Allen's acceptance of a $100,000 political contribution from Smithfield Foods should come as no surprise. Both the governor and his secretary of natural resources, Becky Dunlop (following Allen's lead), have made their positions on the environment crystal clear. Whenever a conflict exists between the environment and industry, industry (in the name of the economy) will be favored (laws, right, quality of life, public health and safety are set aside or ignored).
Such is the case at Smithfield Foods. In the period August 1994-August 1995, Smithfield violated its water permit 22 times, including consent-order violations. Among the parameters were fecal coliform, oil and grease discharge, total suspended solids, biological/chemical oxygen demand and pH. In many cases the excesses were multiples of the allowable limits.
But no punitive enforcement actions resulted, only additional notices of violations in succeeding months (in at least one case, the same violation in four of five months).
The cozy alliance (real or perceived) is obvious. In either case, the losers are the people of the commonwealth and those in industry who comply with the law. It's time the governor makes good on his campaign promise of restoring honesty to government.
CHARLES TRAUB III
Virginia Beach, Oct. 27, 1995 by CNB