Statesman Goes Wild

Three articles by Asher Price in the Statesman yesterday!

Hill Country development bringing big environmental concerns
Hill Country development linked to Barton Springs water quality
One subdivision edging toward LCRA water.

The trouble with "fair and balanced", as these articles appear to be, is you have quotes like this from home builders:

"If someone is opposed to any growth, that no one should move here and everyone should go somewhere else, then I can't help you," said Harry Savio, the head of the Austin Homebuilders Association. "If you believe we should have controlled, restrained, responsible growth, sensitive to the environment, then the home building and construction that has taken place over the last five years is going to be much better than what was done before."

Savio says new rules for stormwater detention and vegetative filter strips are keeping the water that runs into area creeks from developments cleaner. Thompson said the developers are paying attention to the environment that creates the very demand they bank on.

The trouble is, the home builders fight environmental regulation at every step. I know from personal experience on the all but forgotten Regional Water Quality Plan. They get all regulations watered down as much as possible, then crow, in statements like the one above, about how sensitive they are to the environment.

So basically, they're a bunch of liars, and when they portray themselves as reasonable in articles like this Statesman series, you can't believe them.