Puzzled by anti-growth attidudes (10/1/05)

Sometimes our neighbors to the southwest baffle us.

It’s hard to imagine two contiguous counties as different as Jay and Delaware.

The latest cause for head-scratching is the virulent opposition that’s popped up against a proposed ethanol plant.

Admittedly, some aspects of the proposed agricultural park are controversial. We’ve been debating the merits and downsides of confined animal feeding operations in Jay County for years, and we’ll probably be debating them for decades to come.

And, admittedly, the proposed site for the ethanol facility could be better.

But judging from the reactions the proposal has received, you’d think someone was suggesting storing nuclear waste and anthrax contaminants.

Opponents haven’t focused on how best to regulate such a facility, how to protect the interests of neighboring property owners, or how to site it better. Instead, it’s been not-just-no-but-hell-no.

By contrast, Jay County struggled with the difficult issue of landfill expansion, studied the daylights out of it, argued about it, drew up regulations, drew them up again, and eventually figured out how to make the project happen in a way which not only protects the environment but also encourages capital investment.

Was it perfect? Time will tell. But it was progress.

Our guess is that nothing comparable will occur in Delaware County. Instead, we suspect the developers and investors will be shouted down until they simply go away.

If they’re looking for an alternative site, we suggest they look in this direction. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]