I seriously doubt anyone really wants to know, but here goes:

In our state, environmental laws have become a tool for what amounts to private property confiscation.

We have the "Wetlands Protection Act" which provides the protection of, what are essentially mud puddles in long established suburban areas. This can add thousands of dollars to the cost of the homes in the development.

An area is determined a wetland if it contains standing water for so many months a year. Another factor is if it contains certain species of “grass”. A wetland can be filled in if the developer is willing to purchase a separate piece of land and "create" a wetland on the new parcel.

In many counties, developments that contain a stream or wetland are required to submit to a daily water quality test for silt or other contaminants. Some are monitored continuously. If a piece of construction equipment develops a hydraulic oil leek (common) the effected area must be excavated to a depth of eight feet and hauled away to a hazardous waste site buy the subcontractor at his expense. (Lightweight hydraulic oil is much less “toxic” than motor oil because it is not subject to combustion gases/acids. I use it for salad dressing.)

The setback from a stream on your own property has recently been increased from 50’ to 100’. You cannot build anything in this 200’ strip.

Also, the dairy industry suffers with ever increasing stream setbacks. Dairymen can’t graze their cows on significant portions of their own property.

“Native Growth Protection Areas” on your property are set aside and you are not allowed to do any construction or clearing in these areas. In some cases, they make sense protecting sensitive slopes from erosion. In most cases they don’t.

If you are unfortunate enough to have a bald eagle decide to build a nest on your property you may be required to fence off a 100’ perimeter around the tree and no one will be allow past it.

Speaking of eagles, on the Skagit River hundreds of eagles come to feed on the winter salmon. Its quite a popular attraction and the are several companies that offer scenic raft trips so you can enjoy this wonderful wild life spectacle. It’s been done for years but now “they” are trying to stop it for fear it might be putting to much stress on the eagles. (There are two eagles I have seen that hunt along the highway.)

Let’s see what else? Oh ya, the wind farms (clean energy for Christ sake!) on the Columbia River have been fought ever step of the way.

Across the river in Oregon, just take a look at this. It’s about how “they” raped the Oregon farmers.

And lastly, the “spotted owl”. I shouldn’t have to tell you the how hard the logging industry had been hurt in the Pacific Northwest over the last twenty years. Admittedly, the problem is not solely due to environmentalists but they are large factor. Sense the restrictions imposed by spotted owl regulations took effect, more than 150 mills have closed. That’s a lot of displaced workers.

Well that’s enough environmentalist bashing from the PacWest. How about hearing from the other 47 states?

You asked.

(If the greens had their way, they’d fill in the canals and you’d be without a home)

“Cheers”

Rob