 he Environmental News -- December 7, 1997
Children's Island
Repeal of the Environmental Policy Act
Recycling
What You Can Do
Contessa Bina Sella di Monteluce, until recently the unseen financial backer of the
proposed Children's Island theme park, spent almost two full weeks above ground, making
rounds at the City Council, the Control Board, and the Mayor's office. She was never more
than inches from the briefcase- and cell-phone toting duo of Dave Wilmot and Fred Cooke.
These lobbyists extraordinaire from the dark side of the Force seem to have found the
ultimate client in the Contessa -- rich beyond belief but nonetheless pliable.
This threesome enjoyed a warm reception at the Mayor's office and at Thomas Circle, but
the atmosphere was more chilly on the Seventh Floor. Sharon Ambrose, with growing support
from Kevin Chavous, leads a block of Councilmembers who oppose approval of a 99-year,
no-rent lease of Kingman and Heritage Islands (including Jack Evans, Harold Brazil,
Arrington Dixon and Kathy Patterson, who refused to meet with the Contessa). Proponents
include Charlene Jarvis, Linda Cropp, Sandy Allen (who pledged to oppose the project when
soliciting the Sierra Club's endorsement one year ago) and Hilda Mason, in a surprising
departure from decades of consistently pro-environment stands.
Thomas and Smith are still thumbing their chins over the issue, while Carol Schwartz
stated on the McGinty/Plotkin/WAMU political gab show that she is leaning against.
Member-elect David Catania is rumored to share this view.
Chairman Cropp has laughed off letters from the President's Council on Environmental
Quality and the National Capital Planning Commission, both urging that the Council not
approve the lease before an environmental impact statement has been prepared. If anything,
she has increased the procedural hardball, pulling her bill from the Council's legislative
agenda three times in six weeks when it appeared that she lacked the support of a
majority. The vote is now set for December 16, but don't bet an island on it.
This issue has touched off a firestorm of fear and loathing among east-side residents,
and thus a blitz of grassroots activism. Dozens of Kingman Park and River Terrace
residents marched on Council offices Dec. 3. At least one office has received more than
200 calls and letters.
Bobby Kennedy, Jr., who saw a bald eagle over Kingman Island while touring it with
mother Ethel and other family members, has been working the phones on behalf of the white
hats. Lobbyist Wilmot, backed by several members of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, debated
this reporter on the Chamber's weekly round-table TV show on District Cablevision's public
access channel; re-runs will air every Tuesday in December at 8:30 pm.
Councilmember and mayoral candidate Harold Brazil introduced an omnibus regulatory
reform bill (text available from DC Watch) November 25. In it he proposes to repeal the
D.C. Environmental Policy Act, the law that (theoretically) requires the preparation of an
environmental impact statement on new, big, and environment-threatening projects, such as
amusement parks built in rivers. In its place he would substitute a watered-down version
that would require an EIS only where a D.C. government agency requests the Council to
enact a new statute.
Environmentalists note that in the eight-year history of the D.C.E.P.A., only one EIS
was ever written -- on the ill-fated Georgetown Univ. co-generator power project. So much
for Mr. Brazil's argument that the law has proven to be "burdensome."
"Burdensome" to his solicitation of Board of Trade donations is more like it.
The Council Committee on Public Works and the Environment has won sequential referral
of the bill, and has scheduled a public roundtable/hearing for December 18th, at 10 am. To
sign up, call 724-8028.
When recycling advocates met with Control Board Vice-Chair Steve Harlan last spring,
they thought they had convinced him, as they had previously convinced DPW, the Council,
and the courts, that recycling costs the City no more that trash disposal on a per-ton
basis. After all, we pay $45/ton to burn our trash at Lorton, whereas we can sell the
recyclables for something between $0 and $150/ton. In Mr. Harlan's words, "if it's a
push or a near push, we may as well [recycle]."
Thus, when the Control Board was given the keys to the City in August, it came as no
sunrise that recycling was ordered resumed. After all, what easier and more visible way
could be found to demonstrate that D.C. was quickly getting back on its feet, AT NO
COST.... Within a few weeks a Request for Proposals had been prepared for public
distribution. DPW was quietly predicting "recycling by November."
That was before DPW was hit with a $1 million court judgment, awarded to the firm
(Recycling Solutions, Inc.) that been aced out of the 1993 recycling contract by Eagle
Maintenance. Where to find an extra $1 million? Simple, concluded Harlan and his DPW
minions - simply defer the resumption of recycling services by 5 months or so. Out of a FY
1998 budget of $2.4 million, this would "save" a cool mil. But what about the
fact that recycling actually costs no more than trash disposal -- i.e., that the million
we don't spend on recycling will increase trash disposal costs by the same amount? No
problem. Its off the books. The bottom line -- the Control Board looks great, while
taxpayers and Mother Nature get hammered over the long run.
- Call Ms. Cropp (724-8032) and Ms. Schwartz (724-8105) about Children's Island.
- Bring all your recyclables to the Mayor's sidewalk on January 5, between 4 and 6:30 pm.
Volunteers will empty your car, and we'll have the stuff professionally recycled.
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