Millions for clean up, nothing for prevention

We’re so mad we could spit! In our 40-plus combined years at the state Department of Ecology, we both worked on the Public Participation Grant Program. We carefully crafted a program to support people trying to do the right thing for the air, water, and land we all depend on.

Now our shortsighted Legislature has “zeroed out” this program, leaving all of us more vulnerable than ever to pollution-creating activities.

Public participation grants are restricted by law to only 1 percent of each year’s Model Toxics Control Act revenue. They support projects that help people understand toxic site cleanups in their community, educate children about preventing waste, and help businesses learn and use the best practices for preventing pollution. Prevention is millions cheaper than cleanup.

These are reimbursement grants – they only cover specific costs, not salaries or office rental. Groups proposing projects go through a rigorous and competitive process to make sure their projects will do what they say they will.

Sen. Doug Ericksen and his colleagues may think they have done something to balance the state budget. But what they have really done is create future problems for us.

To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt: Millions to clean up pollution after it happens, but not one red cent to prevent it.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 8:31 AM with the headline "Millions for clean up, nothing for prevention."