As more comes to light about
Arnold’s environmental decisions (as opposed to his green-friendly
promises) the green luster is starting to fade. Arnold has decided to
cut regulatory fees on polluters that would have paid for important
environmental protections.
And, on word that he was to be fired by the Gov., the Director of the
Department of Toxic Substance Control, Ed Lowry, resigned as of Monday.
Lowry was known as a strong enforcer of California’s environmental
protections. He spearheaded new standards for handling mercury-laden
waste and led the charge to identify and address the hazards of
electronic waste, such as old computer monitors.
In forcing Lowry out, Arnold exposes the dirty secret behind the green
veil: when the choice is between the environment or industry, regulator
or regulated, coastline or contributor, he will choose the latter.
Pushing out Lowry, like canceling fees on the timber industry and other
fees to protect the coastline, shows that the Gov prioritizes his
special interest donors – oil and energy firms, developers, computer
manufacturers and the agriculture industry – over protecting the
environment of California.
Schwarzenegger knows that he won’t be able to eliminate clean air and
water protections as his donors want – the voters won’t stand for a
wide-scale rollback of California’s best-in-nation environmental
protections. But the Gov. has quickly learned that environmental laws
are only as good as the regulations, and regulators, that enforce them.
Arnold won’t admit that he is squeezing out strong regulators because
they go after polluters. But if you want to know why Lowry really got
the ax, his own farewell letter to staff says it all: "We made
enforcement a priority, once again leveling the playing field for
law-abiding business."
