High school cheerleader car wash violates environmental laws

[CaseyJones]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/25/high-school-cheerleader-car-wash-violates-environmental-laws/


It’s hard to wave your spirit fingers when the city shuts down the cheerleading squad’s fundraising car wash to protect the environment.

This is what happened to Lincoln High School cheerleaders trying to raise money to attend a national competition in April. The San Jose Mercury reports that local environmental officials warned the high school cheerleaders that their car wash violated the city’s water discharge laws.

“We had a visit from the city of San Jose Environmental Services Department who said that the car washes at Hoover [Middle School] are in violation of water discharge laws, therefore we had to cancel this and all future car washes,” said an email that was sent out to neighborhood email lists on Oct. 18.

“Anything that is not storm water or rain water is considered a pollutant,” said Jennie Loft, acting communications manager for San Jose’s Environmental Services Department. “If it goes into a storm drain, that pollutant will harm wildlife and habitats in the creeks. Water goes directly from the storm drains into our creeks.”

The city intervened in response to two complaints received about the car wash events Lincoln High Schoolers had been holding at Hoover Middle School. City officials reached out to school and district staff to give them information on how to prevent pollutants from getting into storm drains.

[Dr.3D]

Does this mean people can't wash their cars in their driveways anymore?

[Acala]

Cities are required by the EPA, acting on authority from the Clean Water Act, to regulate discharges into storm sewer systems. It's trickledown tyranny.

[Keith and stuff]

I haven't washed a car in years. I guess I'm a eco-hero :toady:

[Dr.3D]

I haven't washed a car in years. I guess I'm a eco-hero :toady:
The only time my car gets washed is when it rains.

[Acala]

Does this mean people can't wash their cars in their driveways anymore?

Technically, yes. But it might be covered under a de minimis general permit. Which means you are allowed by your overlords to do it because they will deem you to have a permit. You would need to look at your local ordinance and perhaps also State law.

Under the local ordinance here, charitable non-commercial car washes are exempt because they are covered under a State de minimis general permit. But reviewing the ordinance I don't see a similar exemption for residential car washing.

[V4Vendetta]

Does this mean people can't wash their cars in their driveways anymore?

Well they have a point.
It normally drains into storm drains, which go right out into streams, bayous, ponds, lakes, ect...
I wouldn't like living in that soapy, oily, greasy, toxic mixture.

[angelatc]

Well they have a point.
It normally drains into storm drains, which go right out into streams, bayous, ponds, lakes, ect...
I wouldn't like living in that soapy, oily, greasy, toxic mixture.

Yep. They conquered our children while we were busy holding down 2 jobs.

[dannno]

Does this mean people can't wash their cars in their driveways anymore?

I can't really get a clear answer, it seems to vary by community, but a lot of communities do prohibit washing your car on your property IF the water goes off your property into a storm drain.

[Dr.3D]

I can't really get a clear answer, it seems to vary by community, but a lot of communities do prohibit washing your car on your property IF the water goes off your property into a storm drain.
I never thought it would come down to people having to wash their cars in the middle of the night.

[Root]

3 felonies a day!

[Acala]

Well they have a point.
It normally drains into storm drains, which go right out into streams, bayous, ponds, lakes, ect...
I wouldn't like living in that soapy, oily, greasy, toxic mixture.

No doubt that pollution is a problem. But government regulation is not the solution. Private property is the solution. The pollution of streams and ponds from runoff is just another form of the tragedy of the commons. Since nobody owns the pond, nobody can stop anyone from polluting it and everybody has an incentive to externalize their costs by dumping into the common area.

[mz10]

You don't write an article about cheerleaders and then not provide pictures/video. Disappointing.

[Eagles' Wings]

You don't write an article about cheerleaders and then not provide pictures/video. Disappointing.Half-naked teens of either gender is one of the reasons I do not give money to this type of fundraiser. I almost hit one the other day as they were bouncing around the traffic lights trying to get our attention.

[V4Vendetta]

No doubt that pollution is a problem. But government regulation is not the solution. Private property is the solution. The pollution of streams and ponds from runoff is just another form of the tragedy of the commons. Since nobody owns the pond, nobody can stop anyone from polluting it and everybody has an incentive to externalize their costs by dumping into the common area.

I disagree with you whole wholeheartedly!!
Local regulation.. be it the city, county, or state, needs to regulate this. not the feds.
Local regulation is the only answer for this

[Anti Federalist]

3 felonies a day!

LOL @ the "I'm not doing anything wrong, I've got nothing to hide" crowd.

Again.

[enoch150]

The EPA: American heroes.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-op7TRdQOjug/T9dHJh1PE-I/AAAAAAAAAX0/HdhZbCliSlY/s1600/MovieBeards-Ghostbusters-Peck.jpg

[Henry Rogue]

No doubt that pollution is a problem. But government regulation is not the solution. Private property is the solution. The pollution of streams and ponds from runoff is just another form of the tragedy of the commons. Since nobody owns the pond, nobody can stop anyone from polluting it and everybody has an incentive to externalize their costs by dumping into the common area. Not only that but, government installed the system that allows run off into the streams and rivers. Government creates the problems and then takes our freedom to solve it.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

It's not an interesting car wash unless there is a woman named Lucille.

[Dr.3D]

It's not an interesting car wash unless there is a woman named Lucille.
Here ya go....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veCZvM6-okQ

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Here ya go....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veCZvM6-okQ

Now THAT's a carwash.

[Mani]

"The city intervened in response to two complaints received about the car wash events Lincoln High Schoolers had been holding at Hoover Middle School. "



And that my friends is the problem. TWO negative Nancy's called complaining about kids at the middle school. The gov't stepped in. If these people don't call to complain, everyone is fine.

[Henry Rogue]

"The city intervened in response to two complaints received about the car wash events Lincoln High Schoolers had been holding at Hoover Middle School. "



And that my friends is the problem. TWO negative Nancy's called complaining about kids at the middle school. The gov't stepped in. If these people don't call to complain, everyone is fine.People will always complain about something. You shouldn't use force to shut them up. The problem is, people gave government authority and they use government to bully other people.

[presence]

Just use bio-degradeable soap, no engine degreasing, and wash cars over a grassy field instead of a parking lot. Problem solved; issue re-mediated in the A layer of the soil.

[Acala]

I disagree with you whole wholeheartedly!!
Local regulation.. be it the city, county, or state, needs to regulate this. not the feds.
Local regulation is the only answer for this

I agree that decentralized authority is better than centralized authority. But if what you are talking about is still people with guns telling other people what they can do with their lives and property, then no.

Of course it is possible to have government truly by consent of the governed, and if everyone involved agrees to environmental regulations, essentially imposing them on themsleves, then sure.

[Athan]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/25/high-school-cheerleader-car-wash-violates-environmental-laws/


In a related story. Male High School students and members of football teams nationwide have voiced their outrage and disgust at hearing the news. Except in California, New York, and Massachusetts, where males or what could pass for members of the male sex simply responded "As long as it wasn't effecting half dressed boy cheerleaders".