Want a $1 Hot Dog for $2?

Is it time to corral the environmental forces and their restraining role on our languishing economy? 
We know that a clean environment is essential for the American people to live a healthy and enjoyable life. The effort to clean up our environment has been enormous and has paid admirable benefits. It is now time for us to stand back from what we have accomplished and weigh the ongoing costs vs. the ongoing benefits. There is a reasonable price to pay for anything of value; what is that price when viewing our environment?
If one asks that question of the environmental lobby, the answer could well be, There is no price too high to pay for a pristine environment. The problem with that answer is, at some point, there are few resources left for anything else. In the State of New Jersey, we are rapidly reaching that point. We have given the environmentalists in our state say over almost everything and have failed to establish a counter-balancing force to keep things within reason.
It is not that environmentalists are not intelligent people, or that they don’t care about the overall picture. In most cases, they deserve full credit for being bright and caring. The problem is, they are like every other human, they see things from their perspective, and like everybody else, they only live within their own world. That is why we have our elected officials, who hear from us all, and weigh all sides and everybody’s needs.
If that is the case, then things are working, right? – Our representatives in Trenton weigh all sides and strike the right balance, right?  As you ponder that question, let me give you an instance which causes us to question if things are out of balance. Dale Foster, our county engineer, spoke the other day on the state of Cape May County’s bridges, telling us it will cost $1 billion to bring them into compliance with current standards.
Then, when referring to the cost of replacing our bridges, he dropped what, for me, was a bombshell. “(M)uch of the cost is related to environmental regulations. I would estimate that at least one-half of the final projected expense is paying for consultants to guide us through the permits.”  Take note here; he was referring to the replacement of existing bridges, which already have their footprint on the environment, not for going into an untouched natural area.  
Our bridges are very old, and greatly in need of being replaced. To build $500 million worth of bridges, we are being forced to spend an additional $500 million.  The way we currently do things, we are doubling the cost. This is insanity! This is government run amuck!
Back to our Legislature. A legislator told me some time back, we have given the environmentalists far too much power, and reversing that is next to impossible. Environmental assessment is a reasonable and beneficial component of many construction projects, but we need to contain the costs – e.g. Keep costs at no more than 10 percent of the total project price.
Are we to throw up our hands in surrender? No, we don’t want to abandon our beautiful county and state. No, we push back; we seek sanity and balance.
Art Hall
From the Bible:  I called to the Lord. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. From 2 Samuel