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By DAPHNE HUTCHINSON
Arundel Newspaper* staff writer
“Environmentalism is more than a good cause. It's a matter of enlightened self interest." said Charles Robb, former Virginia governor, speaking at the Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ spring meeting last week in Warrenton.
Citing the “important relationship between ecology and economy." Robb maintained that environmental protection is a prerequisite for economic growth. And if the private sector will not afford that protection, “people look to government."
When his administration initiated the promotion of the Commonwealth as an ideal location for businesses, the state's system for safeguarding its natural resources was “still somewhat haphazard." enforcement of environmental regulations was lax, and goals for environmental protection were not clearly defined, he said. Corporations wanted an “attractive quality of life" for their employees, and that meant safe communities, good schools and housing, and assurance that state government would protect Virginia’s natural heritage. Robb said.
So to balance economic development with preservation, his administration “began to work closely with the General Assembly to turn things around ... 1 like to believe we fostered a whole new attitude of respect for natural resources (and) elevated the environmental conscience of state government."
According to Robb, the efforts of his and Governor Gerald Baliles' administrations resulted in:
• greater effectiveness and clout for the State Water Control Board.
• a new Department of Waste Management which is “bringing much needed integrity to the per
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