Removing silt can be pretty bad in some cases, heavy metals sink to the bottom and will not cause problems if left undisturbed, if you start removing silt you will make those pollutants bioavailable again.
Even removing the branches and larger tree limbs can cause issues with removing habitat for aquatic critters and changes the currents and flow of the river.
Cleaning the trash by hand and hauling it away is one thing. They went beyond that.
I mean, the agency did drag its feet until the guy got pissed enough to do something irresponsible. Doesn’t excuse his actions, nor does it make him an expert either.
If he had an expert advising him on this course of action, cool. The articles don’t seem to mention it, and the articles prey on outrage, so saying “he even had an expert telling him to do so!” would have been worth a note.
So if you’re right, we’ve got two bunches of idiots; one negligent in their inaction, the other reckless in their action.
You don’t have to work for a three letter agency to be an expert. I guarantee you that if they took the time to consult anyone remotely connected to ecological science they would have said no to hacking up the river bed without a proper survey and sampling.
Removing silt can be pretty bad in some cases, heavy metals sink to the bottom and will not cause problems if left undisturbed, if you start removing silt you will make those pollutants bioavailable again.
Even removing the branches and larger tree limbs can cause issues with removing habitat for aquatic critters and changes the currents and flow of the river.
Cleaning the trash by hand and hauling it away is one thing. They went beyond that.
In this case the silt is a good share shit overflows from sewage releases though, which go unpunished I would add.
I wasn’t aware of that. I suspect the guy in question didn’t either. That’s why experts should make those decisions who do know that stuff.
Do you think the government environmental agency is trustworthy? You do realize the neoliberals are in bed with big money.
There is zero fucking chance of “experts” working in the public interest at the EA. 0%.
I mean, the agency did drag its feet until the guy got pissed enough to do something irresponsible. Doesn’t excuse his actions, nor does it make him an expert either.
If he had an expert advising him on this course of action, cool. The articles don’t seem to mention it, and the articles prey on outrage, so saying “he even had an expert telling him to do so!” would have been worth a note.
So if you’re right, we’ve got two bunches of idiots; one negligent in their inaction, the other reckless in their action.
You don’t have to work for a three letter agency to be an expert. I guarantee you that if they took the time to consult anyone remotely connected to ecological science they would have said no to hacking up the river bed without a proper survey and sampling.