Note this was cross posted at The Weimarian. Since the forum covered both state and federal regulatory processes I thought that it might be of interest here as well.
I wanted to get a quick thumbnail sketch of the forum went. Later this week I plan to post something with more detail. Congressman McClintock stated that the event would be recorded and entered in the congressional record as soon as possible.
The committee included Congressman Tom McClintock, Congressman Wally Herger, State Senator Sam Aanestad and Assemblyman Dan Logue. It lasted two hours and they rigorously kept to the agenda. They actually had a timer hold up colored signs to notify presenters that could not see the lectern lights of their allotted five minute times. Members of the public were strictly held to three minutes at the lectern.
The room was full and the audience was well represented with local community leaders I sat behind two members of the Colfax City Council and the City Manager. I also bumped into Supervisor Jim Holmes and Councilman Mike Holmes.
The forum was to look into both state and federal regulations. During the opening comments McClintock spoke out against arbitrary regulations and third party court actions. Senator Aanestad mentioned that foothill waste water has to be cleaner than drinking water in Los Angeles County. Aanestad also said that wastewater issues were the one topic that took up most of his offices time. Assemblyman Logue said that the regulating agencies keep the fines instead of using them for infrastructure and that its part of a hidden hostile agenda.
The first panel consisted of people representing various local agencies. Each panelist provided testimony as to their particular problems while providing examples of specific situations. Topics ranged from third party lawsuits to one size fit all policy.
The second panel consisted agency representatives from the EPA, for the first five minutes with the State Water Resources Control Board and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Board sharing the last five minutes.
The remainder of the forum was allocated to public comment with about eight to ten people taking advantage of it. The general feeling from the very beginning to end is that there are real problems with the regulatory processes that need legislative attention.
FYI:Regulations are for implementing laws. You don't need legislative action to deal with changing regulations (officially). Unfortunately, Laws don't often, if ever, really, get to the CLEAR INTENT of the Law. Left up to interpretation via regulations. No clear intent equals, more than not, a mess trying to figure out what the intent of the law is. Often left to guessing.
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