Don’t blame government for bay pollution, blame some farmers, consumers

Shirking their responsibility to clean up their own mess, livestock agriculture industries have been dragged kicking and screaming into environmental monitoring and regulation. Unfortunately, William Baker, president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, ostensible chief bay watchdog, continues to shirk his responsibilities, as well (“EPA is failing Chesapeake Bay and America’s clean water promise,” June 11).

Like a broken record, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation places all of the blame for poor bay progress at the feet of government which no doubt deserves much of it. But government is not the polluter. The primary problem originates from our dietary habits, but CBF continues to issue timid guidelines to citizens, carrying on a 50-year tradition of insignificance.

Yes, EPA has been bowing to pressure from agriculture industries, the prime source of bay pollutants, for years. Yet industry power is directly related to consumer purchases of animal foods, especially chicken and dairy, which are directly funding not only actual Chesapeake Bay pollution, but legal delays, political obfuscation and not-so-subtle arm-twisting to inhibit legitimate enforcement. Nonetheless, CBF would rather the public not make that critical connection. Instead of educating consumers of their power to cut off the dirty money flow, CBF would rather shirk their responsibility, shift the blame to government and convince the public that EPA is the problem. “And here’s your pretty blue bumper sticker as a token of our appreciation.”

Will Baker should do some serious introspection. EPA is not the only entity failing the Chesapeake Bay.

Mark E. Rifkin, Baltimore