cabinet level deq 1983

Pity the poor chickens 

WWL TV --1024 N. Rampart St.

New Orleans La.
Feb. 1, 1983 Phil Johnson

February 1, 1983

It is good and It is about time . The announcement yesterday that Louisiana will finally get a full-blown, cabinet level department to deal with our environment. Or, to quote Governor Treen: "The time has come for us to focus on our environmental problems." Actually, that time came many years ago. But this is not the time to quibble. Let us be thankful that someone finally had the good sense to realize that we are threatening to kill ourselves because we are neglecting to take proper care of our environment. The announcement means that a new Department of Environmental Protection will be formed and funded -if the Legislature approves. And it is difficult to see how our lawmakers cannot approve. This new department would take environmental affairs away from the Department of Natural Resources. It always seemed such an obvious conflict of interest. The Department of Natural Resources is run by people from the oil and gas industry, in the interests of the oil and gas Industry. To have them also monitor our environment is like hiring a fox to be watchman for the chicken coop. Pity the poor chickens. The proposal for a Department of Environmental Pro-tection and protection is the key word here -is good news indeed. We look forward to its approval and its operation.