Accolades to Rep. Scott Tipton for the “good Samaritan” legislation he is proposing (Herald, Sept. 27). It is an excellent idea to protect volunteers and farmers. However, Tipton wants the EPA eliminated. Others against the EPA say the corporate polluters/sponsors can self-police. In 1970 the EPA was established because polluters did whatever they pleased; self-policing was a joke. Nixon established the EPA to protect people from polluters, not the reverse.
Tipton stated: “Unlike heavy-handed federal Superfund designations, the good Samaritan approach continues to be the most sensible way to solve the problem.” By “heavy-handed” he means the EPA will sue polluters for damages.
A contractor in the ‘90s was offered $10 million to clean a smaller problem near Gold King Mine. This was not enough to even start. Without a Superfund, we will only get assistance for the spill, the remaining mines would not be cleaned. Tipton says good Samaritans working for free is the alternative to EPA. Tipton calls that “sensible.”
Tipton failed to mention that a Superfund clean up would create jobs locally. Tipton’s donors are online; gas companies and other polluters give him big bucks. Tipton failed us by not revealing that the EPA can help clean all the mines with a Superfund, but are limited to the spill now. With no EPA, the remaining costs would be on the citizens here. It seems Tipton doesn’t even care about the impact to the people downstream.
Everyone deserves clean water but our congressman hates the EPA. If Tipton put citizens first, he would be working with the EPA, not attacking them. Tipton instead wants to be “heavy-handed” in a congressional hearing with the EPA. Tipton wants us to give up EPA funding and turn it into “good Samaritan” cleaning – with no EPA money.
The Animas River needs the EPA more than it needs Tipton. He needs to put aside his hatred and work with the EPA to save the Animas River. The people of this district elected Tipton, and he should remember: he represents citizens, not the polluters.
Carol Ruth
Durango
