FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS

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OPPOSE TRADING WATER POLLUTION CREDITS

Polluters never stop trying to find ways to weaken the laws which are designed to curb pollution of our nation's rivers and lakes. Historically, they have objected to provisions of the laws which require use of the "best available technology" to reduce effluents (or later "best practicable technology currently available"). Such technology avoids endless arguments about how much pollution should be permitted and how to allocate rights to pollute. It tells polluters that they must use the levels of control which are then available and steadily upgrade their control equipment. It encourages them to move toward closed- cycle operations.

Now the Bush Administration has decided to let polluters continue to pollute if they buy credits from other polluters who have made reductions in the same watersheds. They will have to buy enough credits to cover the amounts by which they would have had to reduce their own pollution. In the name of increased flexibility and minimizing costs, some polluters may be given a "pass" to pollute indefinitely.

This is bad public policy. Everyone downstream from the polluter will still suffer from their pollution, and everyone upstream from the place where the credits are earned will still be impacted. In large watersheds, vast areas may be excused from upgrading their operations at all. There may be real differences in the kinds of pollution stemming from these sources too. Given industries may be able to buy their way out of compliance and be relieved of the obligation to steadily upgrade their operations. The state of the art in compliance may not improve. The promise of "fishable and swimmable" waters may recede ever further into the future.

The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs opposes letting those who pollute the nation’s water buy credits from others. This is akin to the Civil War practice of letting rich people buy their way out of serving in the military. Everyone who abuses the environment should be held to obligations which require them to steadily reduce and eliminate the burdens which they place on public resources.


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