Brunswick Beacon, 05.18.23
That’s one of many memorable lines from “Casablanca,” perhaps the best movie ever made. In one scene, a couple is approached by a stranger. He leans in, pats the man’s shoulder with phony concern, and warns “Be on guard. This place is full of vultures. Vultures everywhere!”
Meanwhile, he picks the man’s pocket. I thought of that pickpocket as I read Congressman David Rouzer’s May 7 email.
“Dear friend,” he began. (I could almost feel the shoulder pat.) Rouzer praised the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant and took credit for its new filtering system that removes PFAS, the toxic “forever chemical” Chemours dumped into the Cape Fear River. “I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress,” he said, “to provide ‘safe drinking water’ to North Carolina.”
Rouzer’s act deserves an Oscar. In fact, he voted against President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which invested $5 billion to help communities eliminate PFAS from drinking water!
Biden’s infrastructure law just awarded NC $61.7 million to remove PFAS. Unlike Rouzer, Sen. Tillis supported it, explained why, and applauded Biden’s administration: “This grant will give our communities the tools they need to ensure all North Carolinians have access to clean, safe drinking water they need and deserve. I applaud the EPA for investing in our great state and I am proud to have worked on the bipartisan infrastructure bill to make this grant possible.”
Rouzer didn’t just vote against Biden’s infrastructure bill, he tried to make our water quality worse. As Chair of the Water Resources and Environmental Subcommittee, Rouzer introduced legislation to kill federal Clean Water Act protection for the same upstream waters that spread Chemours’ PFAS throughout Brunswick County! Rouzer’s dirty water act failed only because Biden vetoed it.
Rouzer acts like a concerned, environmentally friendly congressman while actively trying to make NC safe for polluters. Meanwhile, he shamelessly claims credit for federal funding he opposed!
Like Casablanca, Brunswick County is full of vultures. Vultures everywhere!
Vince Amoroso
Sunset Beach