Stimulus Money Killing Beavers: SC chapter

How reassuring to know that both Carolinas are using our taxpayer dollars to eliminate a keystone species. Remember the outrage feigned by officials when Senator McCain scoffed about money going to beaver management in North Carolina? Well now South Carolina is ready to undertake what they’re calling a “million dollar beaver project”. (Looks like Martinez isn’t the only one who knows how to waste tax-payer dollars and blame beavers!)

Apparently Columbia has some sewer pipe line problems. Like most cities who have been around for 200+ years, their old system can’t keep up with the demand. They cleverly asked for stimulus money to foot the bill. Then their (argentina-lovin’) governor, came rushing back from the ‘Appalachian Trail’ and insisted his state would have none of it. The issue went to the state supreme court where they ruled that it was the responsibility of the governor of a state in crisis to accept the life preserver and help its citizens. He actually bemoaned the finding saying “This decision is terrible news for every taxpayer in South Carolina”. Then he got distracted by other pressing concerns.

So it turns out one of the projects slated to get that money was the Crane Creek Outfall Project, which was a line that needed replacing to the tune of 400,000 dollars. After the ruling in June, the project was supposed to get underway. In January the city suffered a disruptive (?) 3.18 inches of rain over 31 days causing the sewer line problems to become more acute.I guess if your used to yearly droughts you can forget that water sometimes comes from the sky.

However workers explained that repair on crane creek was delayed because City officials have been trying to replace the section of pipe for some time, but crews have been unable to reach it because of flooding caused by beavers along the creek, said John Dooley, the city’s director of utilities and engineering.January 26, 2010

Ahh! At last a villian we can all relate too! Blame the Rodent! Never mind that the money for the project itself was strangled by a governor whom we now know told his wife he wouldn’t promise to be faithful in his marital vows, at least we have some beavers to shoulder the guilt. Apparently the city liked the excuse so much that 6 days later they announced they had upgraded to the full package.

An excessive population of beavers in Columbia has caused damage to the city’s sewer and septic systems. In June city officials signed a $1 million “Right of Way Beaver Clearing Contract,” to fix the problem.WACH news

The story goes on to say that the pesky rodents have made an alarming comeback since the happy days of the fur trade, and are now littering the waterways with their beaverish works. Biologist Jason Peebles is quoted as saying “When the population gets this large they cause problems.” (I can only assume he’s referring to the beavers and not the shovel-ready maintenance workers who are eyeing their shrinking paychecks). He goes on to add that with beavers in everyone’s backyard, their dams trap water and then break during storms, causing flooding that over taxes the drainage system. Repairing the sewer lines and drainage is estimated to cost a million dollars. Never fear! The money’s here! Your money. My money. Stimulus money.

“Harley said two-thirds of the $1 million contract goes directly to clearing the waterways the beavers have clogged and the rest goes to beaver removal.”

Our tax dollars at work. Because nothing gets the economy rolling like dead beavers.

Because decisions like this deserve public mockery.

Columbia Governor Sanford Jason Peebles South Carolina