Editorial: Legislation more about getting even

Assemblyman John Carpenter, R-Elko, has introduced legislation that would clamp down on efforts by state government to fight water pollution. Assembly Bill 41 would prevent the state Division of Environmental Protection from taking action to stop water pollution if it did so based on information obtained from federal agencies.

As Division of Environmental Protection Director Alan Biaggi told an Assembly committee this week, this restriction would jeopardize his ability to enforce environmental laws. Biaggi also said it could end up costing the state hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional costs if it has to carry out investigations on its own without the assistance of other agencies.

Why is this legislation being sought? Carpenter told the Associated Press he introduced the bill at the request of Elko County officials. Last year Elko County wanted to rebuild a damaged road near the south fork of Jarbidge River. But U.S. Forest Service officials called the state Division of Environmental Protection to say that the construction was damaging the river banks. In turn the state ordered the county's road work to stop.

Carpenter says he doesn't trust the federal government and that the state should conduct these investigations on its own. But it is ridiculous to prevent state government from having access to the best technical information on which to make a decision. Environmental protection is not high on the list of many state legislators -- resulting in inadequate funding -- so enforcement officials are forced to rely on the expert advice shared by federal agencies. Besides, why duplicate the same tests or reports and waste taxpayer dollars?

The real objection by Carpenter is to the existence of environmental laws, so he and his supporters are trying to tie the hands of environmental officials. But the Legislature should ignore the Elko County legislator's self-serving idea and scrap this misguided piece of anti-environmental legislation.

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