I recently enjoyed breakfast and conversation with State Representative Ray Cox who is the owner of Northfield Construction Company. We try to do this several times a year to share perspectives on small business issues, local issues and needs, and social and political issues of gathering importance on the national and international levels. This is awfully wide ranging ground to cover, but when we visit about issues small and large, it helps us stay in touch with ideas and philosophies that go beyond the borders of our community.
Yesterday, I went for a long cross country ski outing in Carleton College’s Cowling Arboretum. To many of us this is known as the “lower arb”, and has a beautiful trail that follows the Cannon River for much of its length, almost all the way to the old iron bridge crossing the river east of Waterford. The day and the snow were perfect, and as I glided along, I couldn’t help think about what a treasure this nature area is for our community– and ANYONE can enjoy it via foot or ski. There’s plenty of different trails through a variety of habitat types, good protection from winter winds, and trails that range from easy to intermediate in skill level for cross country skiing.
Despite the deep grip winter has on the land, here and there stretches of open water revealed areas of rapidly moving water or springs making their mark on an otherwise frozen river. During winter the water is crystal clear — free from sediments and the algae blooms that can crop up when phosphorous levels increase along with summer water temperature and big rain events.
As the swish-swish of my skis punctuated the crisp air, I gave a thanks to Ray Cox for pushing a bill through the legislature during his very first session that will help reduce phosphorous levels in urban wastewater discharges. Now Ray is turning his attention this session to other environmental concerns such as reducing mercury pollution which can have devastating effects on adults, children and the unborn. Environmental legislation is extremely complex, but I have a hunch that Ray is savvy enough to separate reasonable proposals that really benefit the environment and our economy from overreaching proposals that require much, accomplish little and are a huge burden on our economy.
When we talk again, I intend to have a lively discussion with Ray about the costs to society of pollution from a variety of sources that rarely are figured into the costs of goods and services. I’m pretty sure we will all be hearing more about this as electric power become harder and harder to deliver to growing communities and industries on a reliable and consistent basis.
Thanks, Ray for lending me your ear.
