AIR PANELIST FLAYS BUREAUCRACY

As a member of the Missouri Air Conservation Commission for several years, Johnny Ray Conklin says he's seen a lot of bureaucratic interference and a lack of common sense when it comes to dealing with environmental issues.

Speaking Friday to the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee, Conklin also warned that unless the situation is brought under control, taxpayers and businesses will bear the brunt of the costs.

"We've got a bureaucracy that is growing and growing that we need to be concerned about," said Conklin. "The average citizen doesn't know how much they are impacted by the DNR and the EPA. The Department of Natural Resources has its own agenda -- to save the world -- and the commission's job is to see it is done in a fair and reasonable way."

Conklin explained that much of what the commission does is related to mandates handed out by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, with a threat that federal funding will be taken away if states don't comply.

"There are a lot of times I vote on things I don't want to do or think aren't best, but I have to in order to keep funding," he said.

Conklin, of Kelso, has been head of the local carpenter's union. He works as a labor lobbyist in Jefferson City. He was appointed to the commission by former Gov. John Ashcroft.

From his experience, Conklin said too often problems are dealt with by over-regulation instead of common sense and sound business practices.

Said Conklin: "We all need to comply with the law and clean up the atmosphere, but we have to do it with common sense. When you turn it over to bureaucrats you lose common sense and that leads to a lot more problems."

A big problem facing the state right now is that St. Louis has not yet attained standards outlined in the federal Clean Air Act, said Conklin. He maintained the lack of attainment is not just a problem for St. Louis but the whole area. Until the city complies, Missouri's federal highway money is in jeopardy.

He said that just across the river in East St. Louis a higher level of pollution is allowed by factories, yet that pollution has an impact on the air quality in St. Louis.

One requirement is that 26 centers be established in the metropolitan area to check emissions on cars; however, federal guidelines require the stations to be on two-acre tracts.

Buying 26 tracts of that size in the area will be costly, said Conklin. He said he opposes a plan to have the state pass a bond issue to pay for construction of the centers and lease them; he prefers letting private enterprise establish the centers.

Conklin warned chamber members to keep a close eye on legislation next year to bring St. Louis into compliance. He suggested the issue could be just as big of a problem as workers' compensation.

"Please watch this bill closely; it's very important to you," Conklin said.

He explained the commission regulates just about everything involving air quality, from crematoriums and dry cleaners to auto emissions and factories.

Conklin said too often government does not spend enough money trying to figure out how to solve problems. For example, it is now illegal to burn tires. While there are some limited uses for old tires, disposal is difficult and costly. What often happens is loads of tires are being dumped in sate forests.

"We stopped the burning but created a whole new problem," said Conklin.

"Government agencies spend too much time just going around looking for violations and issuing fines," he said.

Asphalt-plant permits are so difficult to get, said Conklin, that many contractors move them without a permit and pay the fine because the process is much simpler.