Engineer Memoirs
two reasons: one, I need someone who has the expertise and the knowledge that can
do the job we have now. I also need someone who can train others coming up to take
over when he leaves. That is the reason I'm more interested in a
with the
experience you have than I am in a 45-year-old who may already be here but not have
that experience. There is a gap that I want to fill, and you fit it." I feel that I was able
to accomplish what he wanted in the seven-plus years that I worked for Con Edison.
Q ..
And that environmental issue with the Cornwall project was a major event during your
time?
A ..
Oh, yes, but there were other environmental issues such as nuclear power plant
completion, and after completion, its effects on the Hudson River. We made multi-
million-dollar studies of biological activities in the river.
Q ..
How would you characterize your attitude toward the environmental movement in
general?
A ..
Pragmatic. I believe environmental factors are important, but that we have gone totally
overboard. The government has gone absolutely crazy in issuing regulations and
instructions, lacking a basis for many of them. We have gotten too emotional about the
environment. While I think we can make major improvements, say a 90 percent
improvement in air and water quality, we're throwing billions of dollars away trying to
get a few percentage points above that in both mediums.
Having experienced both cancer and bronchial asthma, I have no sympathy whatsoever
with the people who say we can have wholly pristine air, and any substance that
presents the slightest risk of creating cancer in animals must be abandoned. I think that
is a very stupid and unrealistic approach to life. I feel very strongly about this even
though, as I say, I have suffered from both cancer and bronchial problems. There are
no absolutes. We add to our costs, we add to inflation, and we add to over-regulation
through some of our attempts to bar chemicals and other emissions that have a
tremendous benefit for improving the quality of life. We need to do some balancing
between values. That, is my point of view.
I see no necessity for every body of water being fit for fishing and swimming. I just
don't see any justification for it whatsoever. There are other things in life that are also
important. Certainly, I also feel very strongly that every body of water should not be
a cesspool either.
So it's a question
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