Water Board Fine for Toxic Spill

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board has once again demonstrated its bureaucratic tunnel vision in its action against Steelcase Inc. involving an accidental spill of a latex-and-water mixture that “was not toxic, did not harm wildlife and did not contaminate drinking water supplies.” There was no neglect on the part of Steelcase, it was admitted.

The arrogance of board members Timothy Johnson and James Anderson in their jubilation over the $64,000 fine typifies government agencies’ thinking that to fine means that guilt is established and that somehow the stiffer the fine, the more successful the government action.

The board missed a golden opportunity. Steelcase should have been given an award for good citizenship rather than given a fine. By its own admission, the board acknowledged that Steelcase was “very responsible” and, in fact, was cleaning up the harmless spill while “investigators” were still trying to find the source.

It appears that the board has found a new way to tax the industrial community to the delight of local governments who wait in the wings to divvy up the spoils. One of the beneficiaries is the Department of Fish and Game, presumably the champion of good sportsmanship. Fat chance that agency will refuse its share of the fine in view of the unfair way it was imposed.

Rather than appealing, Steelcase has acknowledged the futility of expecting reasonable treatment from this officious board.

Because of the high costs of being in business in the Irvine area, the industrial community has already started to move away to more appreciative places. A good way to hasten that departure is to continue to allow such dictatorial governmental actions to go unnoticed. The board’s grossly inflated idea of its own importance must somehow be brought into perspective. The purpose of that agency must be clarified, perhaps from Sacramento, so that each board member understands that his objective is to clean up our waters, not to unjustly penalize those who are effectively trying to do so.

The cities of Irvine and Santa Ana, who will share part of the fine, must take action to recognize that such good neighbors as Steelcase should serve as models for the rest of the industrial community, not as whipping boys of pompous government people who don’t understand their responsibilities.

HOWARD RUSSELL

Irvine