Don Brunell complains in his Feb. 2 column “Be practical in shaping waterways regulations” that additional federal water quality regulations are not needed, and that the only ones benefiting will be the lawyers involved in the federal court appeal. While he’s right about lawyers making profits, he doesn’t recognize that the reason we need regulation is because some property owners or tenants don’t respect the need for good water. It only takes a few bad apples to require new laws.
Actually, Brunell probably does subconsciously see the need, as he says “Most people are looking for practical solutions” (emphasis on “most”). Regulations are needed because some people don’t care for anything beyond their own interest and must be forced into respecting the common good, in this case, clean water.
And note that the Clean Water Act passed in 1972 under a Republican president. In today’s Republican capitalism, where profits rule every decision and regulations are anathema, we would all be drinking water like that in Flint, Mich.
