Once again,

I find it appropriate to discuss environmental laws, as

they relate to the Fayette County Board of Education

(BOE). My recent opinions on the McIntosh High School

practice fields drew quite a bit of criticism from some

members of the BOE. I thought, given time, they would

install adequate sediment and erosion control measures.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Sad to say,

they have taken only minor steps and the next big rain

will prove just how expensive their non-action will be

for the citizens of this county. Virtually everyone with

a level of expertise in controlling sediment has said the

area is going to be subject to heavy erosion. Only the

political types have decided the area looks OK now.

Surprise, surprise!

significant problem with Georgia's erosion control laws

is how to effectively enforce them. Here in Fayette

County, as in most surrounding counties, local

governments have the authority and responsibility to

manage this set of laws. But how, then, does one

governmental body take action against another where

violations occur?

In this

case, having Peachtree City take legal action against BOE

actions is not a happy thought. The BOE has a long

history of taking advantage of this reluctance to invoke

enforcement authority, and in case after case, the

results have been truly unfortunate. Cutting corners when

it comes to erosion control, tree protection and staying

out of wetlands has become a standard operating procedure

for them. It might save some dollars initially, but

fixing the washouts, damaged streams and wetlands can be

expensive. So what have they really saved, and more

importantly, what have we lost?

I asked

for, and reviewed, the McIntosh files from BOE and

Peachtree City and found that there were 11 instances

between April and August of this year where they were

cautioned, warned, threatened and cited for the need for

proper sediment and erosion control. And that does not

include similar cautions in meetings, telephone calls and

here in this newspaper. And they still don't have it

right. What does that tell you about their willingness to

"do the right thing"?

Some of you

may believe that this has nothing to do with you, but it

is our environment that is being messed up, and in this

case it is contributing to siltation of Lake Peachtree

(your drinking water source), costing you more of your

tax dollars. It is probably appropriate for us to ask the

BOE to budget another $200,000 to pay for their portion

of the next dredging of Lake Peachtree. That is a

conservative 20 percent of what Fayette County could

expect to spend when their sediment trap is full again

and the water users (taxpayers) will have the cost

included in their water bills.

My opinion

on this is not one I take lightly or for any personal

reason, but what other conclusion is there when it takes

such extreme measures by Peachtree City and others to

bring the BOE's attention to this issue?

I believe

my tax dollars should be spent for needed and appropriate

projects, but I find it insulting for the BOE to ask for

me to vote next Tuesday to provide them more money when

they can't seem to spend the limited money available

without violating state laws. You may believe that it is

necessary to provide the additional money in spite of

these problems on the assumption that they will do

better. I simply don't believe that will be the case, as

the history of BOE says differently, and the new board

doesn't appear to be doing any better.

The worst

message of all here is that this whole approach by BOE

sends a message to every person, including every school

student in Fayette County, that any means justifies the

end. In my opinion, it just doesn't have to be this way.

Dennis

Chase, now retired, was a fish and wildlife biologist

with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 26

years. Since retiring, he has worked as a consultant for

Fayette County on environmental concerns, is a volunteer

with the Southern Conservation Trust Inc., and has

published numerous newspaper columns.

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