"Concord bottled water ban stalls; Coakley’s office says it is not a ‘valid bylaw’" by Travis Andersen and Christopher Girard, Globe Staff | Globe Correspondent | July 10, 2010
In April, Concord residents voted to ban the sale of bottled water in their town, but a top aide to Attorney General Martha Coakley said yesterday that her office could not issue a ruling on the policy as written, in effect killing the ban before its scheduled implementation in January....
Members of the Concord Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Christopher Whelan could not be reached for comment last night.
Jean Hill, 82, a Concord resident who proposed the bottled water article at Town Meeting, said that an important issue has been raised, even if the ban does not pass legal muster.
“The ban will probably not be legal, because it deals with interstate commerce,’’ she said. “The way it is now, I consider it a wake-up call to people about our wasteful ways.’’
Town Clerk Anita S. Tekle said residents passed the article without considering the practical issues surrounding implementation.
“A lot of people have seen this as more of a philosophical statement, a policy statement than actual legislation,’’ she said.
But the intent is admirable, said Seth Kaplan, vice president for policy at the Conservation Law Foundation, a New England environmental advocacy group.
Just paving the road to the hot house of Hell.
Related:
"The Conservation Law Foundation, a New England-based environmental group, says it's not opposed to nuclear power"
Yup, if you are IN the PAPER you are an AGENDA-PUSHING PoS!
“The intention of reducing solid waste is a good one,’’ he said. “But there are practical problems with trying to address this issue on a municipal level.’’
He said states are better equipped to handle solid waste issues, which is why his group supports a bill stalled in the Legislature to allow residents to collect a redemption fee for water bottles, in addition to soda, beer, and other beverages currently required to collect a 5-cent deposit under state law.
See: Massachusetts' New Nickel Tax
Btw, WE ARE TAXED TOO MUCH ALREADY!!
Paul Mandrioli, owner of West Concord Supermarket, also believes a redemption fee proposal would help the environment.
“There’s a better way to do it than banning sales,’’ he said.
Chris Flynn — president of the Massachusetts Food Association, which represents grocers in the state — said the Concord ban makes no sense. He said bottled water was essential in May, when a water main break in Weston prompted a three-day boil water order in about 30 cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts and many residents bought cases of bottled water.
“It was an emergency item and helped a great deal then,’’ he said.
Oh, that is ALL FORGOTTEN NOW!
But Hill remains convinced that she was right to submit the article.
“In my mind, the Constitution says we have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,’’ she said.
Which goes to show you how out of her mind she is at this point in history.
“It does not say of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corporation. That’s what this effort was about.’’
WATER is SAFER than WAR, isn't it?
