Burlington Free Press
December 23, 2002

Environment vs. jobs remains vexing dilemma

by Matt Sutkoski, Free Press Staff Writer

OMYA is one of several Vermont businesses that have struggled in recent years with the tension between environmental regulations and commerce.

IBM has urged construction of the Circumferential Highway through suburban Chittenden County.  The company, Vermont's largest private employer, said the road is needed to safely and efficiently move employees and supplies to and from its mammoth Essex Junction plant.

Environmentalists say the road is a colossal waste of money and alternative transportation would be as effective as a new road.  The Circ would also encourage unwanted development in far-flung sections of Chittenden County, they say.

In Randolph, Vermont Pure is considering a pipeline to move spring water from Rogers Road to its plant in Randolph Center along Vermont 66.  Neighbors had objected to plans by Vermont Pure to incrase truck traffic in rural parts of Randolph.

Ski areas in Vermont routinely tangle with environmental regulations.  Okemo Mountain Resort started construction of its Jackson Gore area after a long fight with opponents.

Jackson Gore includes a new hotel, ski trails, shops, parking lots and ski lifts.  Okemo was required to add hiking trails and a recreational complex for Ludlow-area residents.

The fights over development and the environment have business leaders and activists looking for a cohesive statewide policy on growth.

"Our government leaders get pulled in one camp or another.  We need something that's long term or cohesive or more visionary than that," said David O'Brien of the Rutland Economic Development Corp.

The vision remains elusive, however, because there is so little agreement on what to do.

Mark Sinclair of the Conservation Law Foundation said Vermont should have a statewide land-use plan where industry is concentrated in certain locations and rural areas are kept open.  He also advocated the possibility of a statewide property tax so that towns do not compete for industrial property owners.

Politically, Sinclair's ideas might have difficulty, given Vermont's long tradition of local control and a preference for local planning efforts.  But he said something must happen to break the deadlock.

"We've gotten to the point where people are fed up with a lack of dialogue between environmentalists and economists," Sinclair said.

Wayne Fawbush of the Vermont Sustainable Job Fund echoes that sentiment, but calls for a change of focus.

"Unfortunately, so much of the time, the dialogue is totally based on a regulatory discussion rather than a common interest," Fawbush said.

Communities, working with potential employers, should evaluate whether the economic benefits balance the negatives a town might experience with a new industry.  In other words, will a few jobs come at a too high a price for the town?

"It's all about getting along and sharing resources and making the most efficient use of those resources," Fawbush said.

Fawbush acknowledged it can be difficult for a community to analyze the pros and cons of an employer, especially when the town might include residents desperate for a good job.

O'Brien says the focus should stay primarily on jobs.

"If there's anything we owe to a working person, it's a job, a right to make a living if they're willing to work hard," O'Brien said.

Government's role is to create a climate where jobs can flouish without greatly damaging the environment, he said.

"It's incumbent on the governmental side to provide as much of an infrastructure as possible for growth," O'Brien said.