That's Not Good

I have visited the goings on at the American "equivalent" (OK it's different but in broad terms the analogy stands up) of The Environment Agency before here.

It does the environmental movement no favors (at all) to be seen to be conniving with public servants to subvert proper process and skew the essential objectivity required in the operation of a public body.

I'm not directly accusing the Environment Agency of similar antics here because I don't have detail evidence -  the circumstantial evidence of the EA's action / and particularly inaction frankly speaks for itself particularly in relation to enhanced gas recovery. 

As far as the USA is concerned this article is certainly alarming in detailing the unholy conniving and intrigue going on behind the scenes. Predictably Watts Up With That has a post on the matter

From the tiny interactions <sarc> we've had with the sprawling dysfunctional EA it wouldn't surprise us at all if activist pressure groups are promoted up the hierarchy of stakeholders simply because of their targeted lobbying and the presence of activists actually operating within the organisation.  Some comments have been left on the previous post about the management of the River Thames which indicate that narrow interest environmental pressure has been given undue influence in the management of that waterway - with a predictable and bad outcome. The same applies for the (lack of) management of the River Parrett in Somerset.

It's a free country - but there are rules about how public bodies operate - and when those rules are not applied and there is no sanction for misbehaviour (or non performance!) - at all - I suppose one can hardly be surprised at the outcome.....

EA subversion of the regulatory process is something we have direct experience of here at Avoncliff - allowing "stakeholders" to negotiate in private, commit money and attempt policy changes, all with no real statutory / legal review (unless you JR them)  or even for that matter any effective political control - the EA is out of control and many of its senior managers have an agenda and the public interest is close to the bottom of it....

The frequency of corruption at an organisation has to be related to the likelihood of detection and the consequences of being caught -  the EA has as far as we're aware zeros at present in the detection and consequences boxes.

The evidence presently indicates EA policies hinder the economy, increase the cost of energy, eliminate jobs, and do little or nothing to improve the environment. Although some would argue on the definition of "improving the environment".

If only we could divert the River Avon in flood through Horizon House - it might have some effect....

I note that as ever there's two sides to any story and Damian Carrington at the U.K. 's Gurdian newspaper has announced that the U.K. government ministry DECC ( Department of Energy and Climate Change ) is "an arm of the gas industry" - which is quite a leap if one looks at their antics on the behalf (and string-less funding ) of Greenpeace, Friends of The Earth, WWF and other environmental NGO outfits.

Oh... and Damian and Guardian newspapers  AFAIK forgot to mention the US EPA stuff where millions of dollars have been funneled fraudulently into green activist NGOs by their mates inside the EPA - funny that eh?