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THE SYSTEM WORKS December 13, 2002, The
Beaver County Times “State and Local Policy Making” studies how citizens influence public policy. Let me give you an example. When a contractor applied
to resume dumping in the Ambridge Landfill “anomic interest groups” like
HAD-IT. These “perceivers” were
concerned about what they remembered from when the site had been open. They gathered old pictures, and took new
ones. They plowed through reams of
public records. They contacted public
officials. The police showed them how to do a traffic study. They learned the regulations about “clear
sight” for ingress and egress. They
were drawn into litigation. They
convinced Harmony Township to call a public meeting. Attorney Howard Wein,
became the “specialist” with specific training and effective questions.” The Conference of Consumer Organizations
(COCO) digested immensely complicated issues to policy-making boards and to
the media as an “articulator.” Their work won the
Department of Environmental Protection’s July 24, 1997 Denial Letter. The site’s 1978 Original Permit was
revoked, the site was to be closed, and any new application would have to
meet current regulations. “Policy”
was made. The policy now came under
“review.” It was appealed to the
Environmental Hearing Review Board.
The appeal and the litigation were settled on August 10, 1998. The
Letter was sustained with certain leniency to the contractor. “Implementation” fell the
DEP. Howard Wein had substantially completed his job, and a new “specialist”
appeared. Representative Susan
Laughlin and Senator Jerry LaValle introduced COCO’s proposed amendment to
the Solid Waste Management Act, and HAD-IT and COCO got it out of
committee. Congresswoman Melissa Hart
endorsed it. Ambridge Borough was
shown an irregularity in its zoning, and designated the Landfill site as
“residential.” DEP called a meeting on
November 2, 2000 regarding the contractor’s new permit application. Did the 1978 regulations apply? The contractor was given another
continuance. Sixteen months later
HAD-IT petitioned for site closure.
It was possible to interpret DEP’s reply that the site was to be
closed, but the contractor would retain the 1978 permit standards. COCO, as “articulator,”
took the new letter to Rep Laughlin, Sen LaValle, Congresswoman Hart,
Congressional Candidate Steve Drobac, Ambridge Borough Council, and the
Beaver County Commissioners. Each
said the 1997 Denial Letter should stand.
COCO delivered their letters to DEP’s Secretary Davis Hess, in
Harrisburg, on November 23, 2002. On December 5, 2002 DEP
responded that closure was substantially completed, the 1978 permit was revoked,
and any new permit would have to meet the current regulations. The 1997 Denial Letter stood unfettered. It has been six
years. The issue will fade away as
specialists on both sides run out of reasons to justify new invoices. It remains that ordinary citizens have
made, and enforced, public policy through the system. Roger Thomas Editor’s note, Thomas is
Director of COCO, and has a Masters in State and Local PolicyMaking. |
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July 19, 2001 call for punch
list November 2, 2001 Petition to
DEP
February 27, 2002 call for
re-zoning May 7, 2002 letter on HB 2280
August 27, 2002 letter for
closure August 28, 2002 Petition to
DEP