Wednesday, February 27, 2008
News EPD's Carol Couch, DOT's Mike Evans and Wal-Mart in Forsyth
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Dale Russell of Fox 5 Atlanta reports that Carol Couch, director of the state Environmental Protection Division, may have engaged in a little favor dishing for Mike Evans, the state Department of Transportation board chairman.
Evans and some of his developer buddies had a proposed Wal-Mart project in Forsyth County. A stream ran through the land. With time running out on the development group's contract with the big-box retailer, going through the EPD's permitting process to build on it -- you know, doing the right thing -- would've been too time-consuming, they thought. So, according to the documents Russell obtained, Carol Couch -- after a little prodding from U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Sen. Judson Hill, R-Marietta -- overrides the variance and gives 'em a pass. What ensues is confrontation journalism at some of its most awkward and delicious, although sadly there are no middle fingers or hands over lenses here.
Check it out. I'd heard that Russell had been holding this report until after the DOT election. I'm glad it's out now. It's a sad, sad state of affairs when the person looking out for the environmental well-being of the state has to be concerned with politicians' business interests as well.
Oh, and the Wal-Mart planned for the site? Never built.
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