Norfork River rape

The text below is "borrowed" from another public BBS. It expresses the situtation better than I can...

"I received a phone call today from ADEQ about my complaint on the Overlook estates. The gentleman was on top of what is happening on the Norfork but was also not to hopeful of the outcome. He said he was out there to look at it and most of the topsoil is completely gone and sediment control would not help what has already happened and that the river has already been effected for years to come. He also told me about someone in Boone County who is processing topsoil out of Longs Creek to sell to most of these developers on the White and Norfork Rivers. So what is going on is they are cutting these steep hills letting all the top soil erode off and then buying top soil out of Longs Creek to cover what has already eroded. So now two ecosystems are being harmed in the process. He also said the developer from Overlook has some lots on Bull Shoals Lake that they have received complaints on and inspected. Same thing steep hill wiped bare @$$ clean(his exact words) and then erroded down to rock. Nothing being done on these sites by this developer as well. He also said that the fines this guy would be receiving would end up probably being a few thousand dollars.

After talking to this gentleman I am not hopeful to outcome of this project on the hill. He made it sound like the guy could afford to just pay the fines and go on and not worry about it. They received first complaint in Oct. 2005 and it took until April 28th 2006 to get a cease activities order for that development."

Later comments in the thread indicate this "developer" feels immune to the threat of fines or legal actions due to his political connections.

Anyone have any good ideas?...We've had newpaper coverage, complaints to state officials, petitions.

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bubba_orvis