During my recent VPR debate on Jim Douglas’s legacy with former Deputy Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources Sabina Haskell, my opponent – in making her point that environmental issues must be balanced with economic ones (and her message that the outgoing Governor had done a good job in this respect) – referenced the Shumlin transition press conference announcing new ANR appointments Deb Markowitz and David Mears as Secretary and Deputy respectively. She indicated that Shumlin and Markowitz used the same rhetoric themselves.
My response was that both Douglas and Shumlin have public records, and based on those records, I can have a lot more confidence that Shumlin will strike a functional balance in that regard, rather than use the rhetoric as cover for dismantling environmental protections. Still, though, I did notice the preponderance of the “customer service” and “jobs” buzzwords during the appointment of the state’s leading environmental stewards. Here’s the YouTube:
And I wasn’t the only one. John Brabant, an ANR compliance officer (as well as being a Vermont State Employee’s Association Shop Steward) has been an outspoken voice in the Agency for years (some might say a gadfly). Brabant was clearly annoyed by the rhetoric and quickly sent out an email to – well, everybody, including a couple names in the media. Brabant minced no words (after the flip):
Does anyone else find the statements by the incoming administration shocking in regards to what they intend to do with the anti-business ANR culture? If you haven’t already, see video at link to hear statements of Governor-elect Shumlin and Secretary to be Markowitz.
I need to practice my lines when I answer the phone, let me see, uh um…”Hi, thank you for calling sir, this is ANR Environmental Analyst John Brabant, here to help you get your business plan approved without hassle. I am here to make sure you get your environmental permits in an expedited fashion and not let that old ANR culture of scrutinizing the impacts of your development proposal against regulatory standards get in the way of you making money and providing us unworthy Vermonters jobs. If there is anyway I step out of line and ask too much of you in terms of your plans to fill a wetland, trash prime ag soils, push sprawl into the hinterlands, discharge to lakes and streams above NPDES standards, violate the federal CWA or VT Air Pollution Control standards or any other unnecessary, anti-business hurdles, please do let me know so that I can correct my inappropriate behavior.”
Boy, this is gonna take some work, but I think I will get the hang of it if I try real hard. Yessir!
The email has been in circulation, and as a result of the vigorous eyebrow raising, the Shumlin administration did step back from the rhetoric a bit – but not before the Free Press’s Candy Page found a chorus of concern about the rhetoric within the greater Vermont environmental community.
It’s definitely an interesting, illustrative episode, amounting to a fairly direct sign that the advocacy community is not likely to be resting on its laurels with a Dem at the helm. There will be no collective endorphine coma after the pain of Jim Douglas’s regime passes. Activists will clealry give Peter Shumlin the benefit of the doubt – as well they should – but that will not be likely to equate to a blank check.
Vermont’s ENVIRONMENT is an ongoing resource both economically, socially, intellectually and, yes, politically. It should not be sold out for companies which will provide some low paying jobs, thereby ‘flattening’ our economy, while depreciating the treasures we enjoy and what tourists come here to enjoy–“Oh God, Harry, last summer in Vermont was terrible. They had a big ugly roadkill factory in front of our favorite view, and the ATVers on the hiking trails reminded us of drive-by shootings.”
Good post.
LOL Petey. That was good:)
the way the Douglas administration did, there will be hell to pay. I am sure Shumlin knows that full well. Environmental activists in this state helped significantly to get him elected, in large part due to their frustrations with the gutting of ANR under Douglas. I find it difficult to believe that Shumlin would be so foolish as to go back on his environmental commitments. This isn’t Texas, and he knows it.
Are people on this board desperate to find something to worry about? Does no one ever wonder why, in an agency that, despite Douglas, still has many, MANY workers dedicated to environmental protection Brabant is the only one acting like this? Did no one notice the over-the-top rhetoric which suggests a need to provoke rather than a genuine expression of concern?
While caution forces me to admit that the “open for business” talk might be a sign of a future problem, I’m more inclined to give the Gov-Elect credit for trying to repair YEARS of, “don’t bring your business here because our crazy eco-terrorists will make it impossible for you to succeed” rhetoric by the current (alas) Governor. In point of fact, ANR people have ALWAYS been helpful to responsible businesses — that they were portrayed as otherwise was a nasty Douglas canard. Why Brabant isn’t happy that the truth about his agency is being known is beyond me. Being business-friendly and environment-friendly are NOT mutually exclusive, even though some businesses may like to characterize it that way. We’ve always been HAPPY that Shumlin recognized the truth that a healthy environment is a great economic investment — why the hysteria when his people speak in a way that reinforces that message?
And as Sue has pointed out, there would indeed be hell to pay if ANR started reneging on its responsibilities. I have not yet seen any signs that Shumlin is that crazy or unreliable. I think before I accept an outgoing Douglas appointee’s characterization of Shumlin’s people I’ll consider the source and give them at least a couple of weeks to Actually Do Something Wrong before I hit the panic button.