Environmental Law

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW GOVERNMENT DOESN'T KNOW ANY MORE THAN WE DO

By STEPHEN HOLZER

   I'm constantly amused by those who think transferring a function to government will somehow convert the function into being "better".  For example, many think that health care should be nationalized, or that the oil companies should be nationalized--as if putting health care or oil production into the hands of a person wearing a "government" hat rather than a "private enterprise" hat will somehow make delivery of services "better".   

     Truth be told, the folks who work in government enterprises are just like the rest of us and screw up just as much.  Except that, when a government employee screws up, this affects everybody because the screw-up affects all the taxpayers.  Here's a prime example, as reported in the Sacramento Bee:

State fined for fuel tank lapses

County inspectors say leak-detection system wasn't properly checked.

The state department that looks after the Capitol's emergency underground fuel tank was ordered to pay $93,350 in penalties Wednesday after Sacramento County inspectors cited it for ignoring environmental and hazardous materials regulations.

The court-approved penalty marks the second time in four years that the county's Environmental Management Department cited the state Department of General Services for violating regulations governing the safe operation of underground fuel storage tanks.

***

...when ...inspectors checked the Capitol's underground fuel tank last fall, they found General Services had failed to test its containment systems at least once in three years.

State workers also failed to certify at least once a year that the 1,000-gallon tank's leak-detection system was working. Lastly, they failed to remove water from a secondary containment system, rendering the entire emergency tank's leak-detection system inoperable, the county's violation summary shows.

     Now, all State taxpayers get to help pay the fines assessed. 

     Yet, big-government types want to transfer more and more functions to government-- as if people putting on a "government" worker's hat somehow magically transforms them into being competent.  Incredible.

Full post as published by Environmental Legal Blogs on June 28, 2008 (boomark / email).