Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
___
May 30
The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register on accountability regarding the RISE West Virginia initiative:
West Virginia legislators upset about the slow pace of dispersing nearly $150 million in federal flood recovery funds are right to have decided now is not the time to reset the process entirely.
That decision should not be taken as a stance that there is no use crying over spilled milk, however. There is good reason to investigate and take whatever action is necessary to avoid it happening again.
As we reported during the weekend, both lawmakers and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials are unhappy with delays in getting the money to flood victims trying to rebuild their lives.
Of the nearly $150 million, only about $1.1 million has been doled out.
Gov. Jim Justice’s administration revealed serious concerns about the program last week. It appears they were brought to light last November, and involve a consultant hired to oversee the RISE West Virginia initiative. It was created by former Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to help victims of June 2016 flooding.
Flood recovery efforts were placed under the state Department of Commerce, as a result of a law that became effective last year. Justice’s administration has focused its investigation - which may widen - on that agency.
When lawmakers were discussing flood relief last year, they at first talked of having the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety oversee RISE. Final legislation placed responsibility with the commerce agency, however.
Meeting to discuss the delay in handing out federal funds, some legislators said they believed having the Department of Commerce handle the program was a mistake. It should have been overseen by the DMAPS, they said.
But changing to that agency now could merely cause more delays, they agreed.
They are correct in that concern. Surely commerce agency officials, in charge of RISE for more than a year, can get the process moving. …
Obviously, Justice should order his subordinates to begin cutting checks to flood victims soon - and to do that fairly and legally.
At the same time, West Virginians are owed an explanation of what went wrong, along with evidence those responsible are being held accountable.
Online: http://www.theintelligencer.net
___
May 29
The Herald-Dispatch says ATV enthusiasts must exercise more caution:
It’s one of those statistical categories in which being a leader is nothing to brag about. In this case, it represents more pain and suffering for more people.
The category involves deaths related to using all-terrain vehicles. Unfortunately, West Virginia is a leader, with the highest rate of ATV deaths per capita. Considering the state’s rugged terrain, small population and many residents’ affection for ATVs, that’s not a surprise.
But when you consider the raw numbers - the total number of deaths - West Virginia is still among the leaders. From 1983 through 2016, 753 people died in ATV accidents in the state, second only to Texas, which had 805 during that period, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. However, keep in mind that Texas has a population more than 15 times greater than West Virginia’s.
The numbers are relevant right now because May through October is typically the deadliest season in terms of ATV fatalities, so the likelihood of fatalities is growing greater day by day.
What is particularly troubling is that health officials are reporting that they are seeing a spike in ATV-related injuries already - more than is typical for this time of year. Cabell Huntington Hospital, which serves a large swath of southern West Virginia, reported last week that 30 inpatient hospitalizations due to ATV accidents have occurred there since March. That does not count the numerous emergency room patients discharged without an overnight stay. A hospital spokeswoman said besides an increase in the number of injuries, the severity of injuries also has increased over years past.
That’s not the way to head into the height of the outdoor recreation season.
The reasons given for West Virginia’s vulnerability to ATV deaths and injuries are numerous. Lack of good roads with adequate shoulders, where ATV drivers area allowed to travel, is one of them. But lack of common sense contributes in many cases. Jenny Murray, director of trauma services at Cabell Huntington Hospital, said the majority of ATV hospitalizations there this spring show signs of one or more dangerous practices - such as riders not wearing helmets or protective clothing. And about half of the cases of adults who were injured involved alcohol - a no-no whether on a roadway or on a trail. Excessive speed is also cited as a factor by safety officials.
Like so many things, the best way to reduce the tragic numbers is ATV users taking personal responsibility for their safety as well as the safety of others. To do that, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends ATV drivers and passengers should always wear a helmet, avoid alcohol, don’t allow more riders on an ATV than it is built for, be sure to have proper training, avoid paved roads and don’t let children under 16 operate an adult ATV.
None of those safety precautions are difficult to follow. And doing so can save lives.
Online: http://www.herald-dispatch.com
___
May 30
The Charleston Gazette on the accessibility of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report:
If you lived near Parkersburg, or anywhere else for that matter, and the federal government had a detailed report on toxic chemicals in your region, would you believe the report belonged to the public and should be shared?
Seems reasonable in Wood County. It seems reasonable to U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry examined PFOA and PFOS (called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS). But as Politico recently reported, the EPA and White House didn’t want anyone to know about it because it would be a “public relations nightmare.”
Too late.
The chemicals were used at DuPont’s Washington Works plant near Parkersburg since the 1950s in products such as Teflon, packaging and stain-resistant materials. DuPont has been sued by thousands of people after the chemicals were linked to cancer, immune problems and developmental effects on fetuses.
The chemicals were phased out, but how much still remains in the region, threatening the health of people who live there? The EPA had set an earlier threshold of 70 parts per trillion, but now there is concern that people can be affected by much lower amounts - as little as 12 parts per trillion to 516 parts per trillion, according to Politico.
Sen. Manchin wrote to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and asked him to release the study data.
Sen. Capito asked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt during an appropriations hearing if senators would see the report.
“As you must know, the adverse effects of contamination due to these chemicals continue to plague communities around the country,” Manchin wrote in his letter. “And they will continue to do so if not properly addressed.”
Good for both Manchin and Capito for raising this issue with Pruitt and the administration.
There is something more important at stake than just whether the administration or some PR people have a rough couple weeks answering the public’s questions. The ramifications of decisions made about chemicals and contamination more than half a century ago are with people still.
The people of the Parkersburg area, or anywhere else, cannot make informed decisions about how best to safeguard their health and care for their region if the knowledge their own representatives gather on their behalf is withheld from them.
Keeping the EPA’s report from the public hinders the advancement of knowledge and the public health. The senators know this, and so does everyone else.
Online: https://www.wvgazettemail.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.