The Harmful Effects of Timbering

How does the role of politics and legislation that affect the smell labor today comparing to that of a ampere-second years agone? In the early years of westmost Virginias conveyhood there was a government that tried to build its own identity. Starting out as an under unquestionable state that was rich in natural resources, there was an need to erect attention within West Virginia. Upon examination of West Virginia today, iodine can see the same desire to principal(prenominal)tain and increase diligence in the state. It is my belief that today, as well as a hundred years ago, the government views manufacture as its top antecedence versus state residents and the safety of the environment. I will now attempt to comp ar and contrast the role politics and legislation has played in the ontogeny and development of the flavour application in the state of West Virginia for the stopping point 100 years.In the early years of West Virginia statehood a clear emphasis was put on industrial result. Before this industrial growth there was a revolution that took place. As a result of the makeup of 1863, the law became more than industry oriented and moved away from world a nurseor of philosophy and culture. Following the Constitution of 1872, there was a facilitation to allow the transfer of land from smallholders to the coal and lumber companies (Lewis p.103-105).One of the main goals in the early years of statehood in West Virginia was to establish a strong, striving capitalistic economy. However, their ideas on how to achieve this varied throughout the state. Should the state remain an agricultural society, or move to an industrial society? This cope continued, and this is when the role government played in the economy was determined (Lewis p. 106).As the woods industry grew in West Virginia lumbermen began to demand that the law military service them to overcome their lack of capital so they could develop the states resources. The greatest problem at this time was the lack of transportation. The government began to conform the lumber industry. Corporations were given the right to dam streams or change their flow, with well-grounded permission (Lewis p.107).Ronald Lewis, author of Transforming the Appalachian Countryside, writes thatPublic subsidy to improve body of water supply transportation for lumber was never undertaken in West Virginia, especially in comparison to with the public availance provided to railroads. The lumber industry during this period developed no giant corporations that could comp be with the railroads, and so its ability to exert governmental power was comparatively limited. It was through indirect stimulus that the law promoted enthronisation in the lumber industry, which conformed the theme of nineteenth century policy (Lewis p.108).The timber industry flourished through an indirect stimulus of breaks given and provided to the railroads.Legislators gave entrepreneurs m whatever rights to assi st with industrial growth, such as building dams across streams or changing the path of a stream, so long as it did not intermeddle with steamboats and other lumber companies. If a log washed up on someones someoneal property and they disturbed it within the foremost ten days, they were punishable by law (Lewis p.108).According to Ronald Lewis it is the belief of pack Willard Hurst, a prominent legal scholar and I concur, that the government sided with line of reasoning and exploited the people. There is enough evidence of court decisions and legislation that regards industry and business over the common man, to validate Hursts belief.The previous paragraphs account an industry that thrived although it has slowed down somewhat in the last 100 years. Now, I am going to examine the timber industry in West Virginia today. My source will be deal cellblocks articles that allow appeared in the Charleston Gazette about the regulations imposed on the timber industry. Wards article s, in my opinion, are biased in favor of the timber industry. However, when writing upon a subject that is so controversial, it is nearly unworkable to not show a bias.An examination of how things swallow changed, will not show a great deal. However, it is safe to sound out that more bullion changes hands today. Today there are more regulations, mostly where permits and licenses are concerned than 100 years ago. Anyone who is conducting timber operations, purchasing timber, or buying logs for resale has to obtain a permit from the division of Forestry (Ward, carry timbering law). To attain and carry on this license, applicants have to pay $50 a year. At every timber operation there has to be at least one person who has sodding(a)d a certification course from the Division of Forestry. This person is train in first aid, soil erosion prevention, and safe conduct of timbering (Ward, State timbering law).The Forestry Division is vatical to be notified within three days of whats oever and all timbering operations. The notification should include the names of those who own the timber. There should as well be included a sketch map of the location complete with roads used for the hauling and stream crossings (Ward, State timbering law).In Ken Wards article, Critics say more rules are necessary, but backers say present law is sufficient, a Morgantown geologist, Richard diPretoro stated that he believes the timber industry is under-regulated, comparatively speaking.The coal industry, which is ofttimes bigger than timbering in West Virginia today, has much stricter regulations.Strip Miners have to return the land to previous contour when they are finished. Those in the timber industry can leave the land any way they so desire (Ward, Critics say more rules).Loggers are supposed to follow a set of guidelines known as best counselling practices. These are a set of voluntary guidelines set up to protect the environment. Environmentalist would like to see regulatio ns for the timber industry become more stringent. However, the director of the state Division of Forestry, Bill Maxey, feels that they have more regulations than they need.Im not sure that Bill Maxeys statement is deliver of prejudice, because the Division of Forestry is responsible for overseeing loggers and well as promoting the growth of wood produce businesses. In my opinion, that would be conflict of interest.Many people interviewed in Wards article discuss how the environmental damage done by the coal industry is more harmful and will last endless than that of the timber industry. Joel Stopha, a wood products marketing specialist, states, Poor timber produce practices will cause only a few years of water quality problems(Ward, Critics say more rules). We have the means to ensure that we have no water quality problems whatsoever.So, how does the role of politics and legislation match in regards to the timber industry today to that of 100 years ago? I believe that the state government is still mainly think on the growth of industry in West Virginia just as we were in the beginning of our statehood.Today we see more regulation in the form of different fees and licenses required. As with everything else in this world, things change. Of course, the timber industry is no different. However, other than the natural changes that occur, there really has not been a commodious change in the fact that the state government still favors industry over the state residents and this is reflected in the way the state government is impuissance to enforce the laws that protect the bodies of water in this state by allowing the timber industry to contaminate bodies of water even if it is for only a couple up of years.