(Dave Saville, the new Administrative Assistant for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, will have a column each month if he can find the time. Dave is busy guy. For this month Dave reports on an exchange he had on WISe with "Bob")
So You're an Environmental Extremist, Eh!
Bob writes:
David:
Several days ago in response to some message you responded that you had been labeled an "environmental extremist."
I'm wondering, what does one have to do to get this label?
Thanks, Bob
Dave responds:
I suppose it depends on who labels one this. I consider myself labeled this, even though no one has ever called me this to my face. Governor Underwood considers me one for not wanting to see condo development along
the rim of Blackwater canyon, spoiling the states #1 tourist attraction. Bill Maxey, top dog at the West Virginia Division of Forestry, considers me one for desiring to see Blackwater Canyon in public ownership giving it permanent protection. He considers public ownership of land a "cancer" even though the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources' own study concluded that 80% of West Virginians desire more public ownership of land. Even former Governor Caperton considers me an extremist for believing that the Ohio River already has too much dioxin in it, and opposing a dioxin belching pulp mill. The former Superintendent of the Monongahela National Forest considered me an extremist for wanting to see more of the national forest protected from timbering, even though only about 8% of it is currently in protected "wilderness" status. Our Commissioner of Agriculture, Gus Douglass, considers me an extremist for believing that the poultry industry and the giant out of state corporations should clean up their own act rather than having tax payers ante up millions of dollars into wiping their collective butts. Ben Green of the Coal Operators Association, (or whatever he is head of), considers me an extremist for believing that giant out of state coal operators shouldn't have the right to trash our streams and waterways for their profits. Senator Byrd considers me an extremist for desiring upgrades and improvements to existing roadways rather than a billion dollar pork project that would lay open a huge wound across 100 miles of the highlands of West Virginia in the form of Corridor H. Football coach, Don Nehlen, and son-in-law, quarterback Jeff Hostetler, consider me an extremist for wanting
access to Cheat Lake for ordinary and disabled people rather than just millionaires who can afford a home in the exclusive Greystone development. Many in the West Virginia State Legislature consider me an extremist for not wanting polluting industries to monitor themselves and keep the results secret. The Farm Bureau thinks I am an extremist for believing that along with property rights come responsibilities. The West Virginia All Terrain Vehicle (ATV)Association considers me an extremist for believing that Canaan Valley, and its unique boreal
wetlands, is not the proper place to hold motorcycle and ATV races and be a year round playground. John "We-in-the-Industry" Caffery thinks I am an extremist for believing that DEP should stand for "Department of
Environmental Protection," not "Department of Everything's Permissible," or "Department of Environmental Plunder" [Editor butting in -- I heard it as "Department of Environmental Pollution"]. Shall I go on? - or does this give you a clue?
- Dave