George,

Isn't the Federal Clean Water Act, which Harris so warmly embraces in his letter, the same Clean Water Act that then-Governor George Allen (who's campaign for the Senate Harris co-chaired) refused to enforce? The General Assembly's non-partisan watch dog (JLARC) found that under Governor Allen, fines against corporate water polluters declined a staggering 98%. Remember Smithfield Foods? Despite having violated its water discharge permits 59 times between 1994 and 1996, Smithfield was allowed to continue its operations unabated. After Allen stubbornly refused to force Smithfield to comply with the Clean Water Act, the EPA had to step in and sue Smithfield, yielding the largest Clean Water Act fine ever before imposed by a court. Is it a coincidence that Allen's PAC received $125,000 from Smithfield while it was under investigation?

Ridge Schuyler (electronic mail, April 30, 2001)