If they want it, they'll build it, the 35W Access Project. To accommodate development and major corporations like Allina.
There is no such thing as an objective Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW). These two documents are designed *not* to measure the environmental impact of large and small development projects. They're designed to justify them. Demanding an EAW and/or an EIS is a fruitless exercise. The MPCA has never - get that? - *never* refused to issue a permit for a potential polluter, whether they've conducted an EIS/EAW or not. No EIS has ever shown that the environmental impact of a project would be severe enough to block it. Nor has any EAW. Nor has the MPCA or any other agency ever revoked a permit for violations of law, rules or regulation, no matter how persistent and/or severe. No matter what they tell you, no matter what they say, no matter what they may write inside the voluminous pages of an EAW or EIS - the answer will always be "Yes, do it. The damage will be either minimal or irrelevant or sufficiently indeterminate to prevent a project from going forward." Like the illusion of citizens advisory committees, EIS's and EAWs were designed to keep citizens and activists in their place - away, at bay and without power to change the decisions already made well in advance of their "participation." The fix is always in well in advance - a collaboration of regulators with the industries they're charged with regulating and the consultants industries are forced by law to hire to conduct the so-called testing to "determine the impact" of a project, the size of the impact determining the type of document required - an EAW (small) or an EIS (large). It's a sham, a show, a dog and pony dance that does nothing to protect the public interest or the public health. Never forget: the 35W Access Project will go through if the powers want it to, impact statement or no impact statement. Citizens have no power in this matter, unless the powers are under a real threat of losing that power. It's a sickening reality that requires a complete regulatory overhaul. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul -------- > From: Tamir Nolley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 14:52:55 -0800 (PST) > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [M5DGP] Fw: [Mpls] I-35W, Dean Zimmerman's vote > > I'm not sure I would support the "excess" project even > if the environmental study was found to be positive. > > This whole project reminds me of the LSGI deal on > Nicollet Mall during the 90's, and to a lesser extent > the Kondirator debacle in my neck of the woods. There > are too many questions about how the residents would > be affected, and a possible law suit if the project > was halted becuase of public outcry as happened in > these cases. > > And a word to Mr. Schiff: > > Support of excessive development projects (Block E, > Target etc.) was one of the things that caused his > predeccessor not to seek reelection, and arguably was > the one reasons he initially challenged her. > Unfortunately, some people are seduced by power once > they get it they make the same bad decisions. > > As for CM Zimmermann being swayed by people speaking > out (CM's Schiff, Lilligren and others take note!) > it's refreshing to have someone on the city council > who actually LISTENS to his constituents and values > thier views. You won't hear any "tyrrany of the > majority" statements from Dean. > > For me, the glaringly obvious issue is that the city > is still deep in debt and simply doesn't have the > money to put into this (and it's a bad idea anyway.) > There are so many better uses for 3 million dollars. > > Tamir Nolley > > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> I was there. I stayed for the entire meeting of the >> Green Party 5th >> Congressional District local last Saturday. There >> was also post-meeting party, which I >> did not attend. >> >> During the business meeting, Dean said that he had >> opposed the 35W access >> project because he thinks it is a bad project. Why >> would he possibly think about >> changing his position? I'm sure that Dean Z. took >> some heat for taking a stand >> against the 35W access project, and it might cost >> him something to stick to >> his guns, maybe even his seat on the city council. >> It has been my experience >> that many good deeds do not go unpunished. >> >> There was very little time for discussion about the >> vote on the 35W access >> project during the Green Party local's meeting, but >> I do know that a discussion >> between Dean and other Green Party members continued >> after the meeting. I >> suggested making an issue of the environmental >> impact of the project (which didn't >> even come up during the discussion before the >> membership meeting was >> adjourned, though the negative environmental impact >> of the project was noted by Dean >> and at least one other Green Party member during the >> meeting). >> >> I say, do a full environmental impact study, then I >> might think about >> supporting the project. One can't be too inflexible >> about these things, ya know. >> >> -Doug Mann, King Field >> http://educationright.tripod.com >> > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! > http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
