| Saving wetlands is a losing battle! First, one must ask | | | | wetlands (even when no one can see signs of water, |
| if the environmental fervor to save wetlands is | | | | or the hole was dug with a shovel and the hole later |
| based on real science. Second, if that question can be | | | | has standing water in it), the owners, who are often |
| answered in the affirmative, the next question is, | | | | widows or senior citizens, cannot sell their land for |
| "can we save wetlands?" Third, if both of those | | | | the fair market value it would have in the real estate |
| questions can be answered in the affirmative, then | | | | market for its highest and best use. This cost alone |
| one must ask, "how can we go about saving | | | | has stolen millions and millions of dollars out of the |
| wetlands in a way that is cost effective, or is there | | | | pockets of hard working middle class Americans. |
| another tactic in the bigger picture that makes | | | | Second, the actual cost of protecting wetlands |
| scientific and economic sense in our ecosystem?" | | | | through the extensive and complicated engineering |
| Let's face it, there has been little proof that all the | | | | that is required is beyond comprehension for most of |
| laws, rules, and regulations designating and governing | | | | us. There are 10's of thousands of massive wetlands |
| wetlands around our nation has been effective. The | | | | protection projects around the country costing |
| Seattle Times, certainly a liberal newspaper that | | | | millions of dollars with negligible results. |
| zealously promotes wetlands and environmental | | | | The Port of Seattle has already spent $62,000,000 |
| protection, shed some serious light on what a dismal | | | | to replace wetlands filled in for a third runway at |
| failure the federal and state and county governments | | | | Sea-Tac. The Army Corps of Engineers scientist said, |
| have been in protecting our designated wetlands. | | | | "the jury is still out" on the success of some of the |
| "Time and again, efforts to re-create nature by | | | | mitigation. Not to get picky here, but have all you |
| replacing wetlands fail, if the effort is made at all. The | | | | taxpayers signed up for this expense voluntarily? |
| science is relatively new and evolving, and wetlands | | | | The truth is, protecting wetlands with extreme |
| replacements are often allowed to be afterthoughts | | | | fervor may actually be a black hole for taxpayers. |
| for developers. . . . Even the state's highest | | | | We pay, government spends. What many people find |
| environmental officials concede the system is broken. | | | | so disturbing is that there is little proof that all our |
| . . . 'We are kidding ourselves; the emperor has no | | | | tax dollars are doing anything to save the |
| clothes,' said Thomas Hruby, a senior ecologist at the | | | | environment. |
| Ecology Department. 'We are deluding ourselves, | | | | On the beautiful Northern Olympic Peninsula, and in |
| hoping there is a silver bullet out there that will allow | | | | Sunny Sequim, Washington and it's sister city, Port |
| us to have our growth and not have the impacts. It's | | | | Angeles, thousands of acres have been designated |
| a state of denial.'" | | | | as wetlands at a tremendous cost to private |
| The cost of protecting wetlands is in the billions | | | | landowners, and with wheel barrels of tax dollars. Are |
| nationwide, and the scientific community still cannot | | | | we really saving the environment? If we held court, |
| agree on the state of our progress, or lack thereof. | | | | and had a civil jury where the burden of proof was |
| This cost cannot be calculated, but it hits all of us in | | | | the lowest standard, "by a preponderance of the |
| two ways. | | | | evidence," I am afraid the case for wetlands |
| First, when privately owned land is designated as | | | | protection would be dismissed. |