Natural Resource

The tension between business to expand and for communities affected by that expansion to enjoy a desired lifestyle leaves government the task to balance the two. This becomes critical in a time of natural resource scarcity such as water and energy.

Government historically has reacted than responded to this tension often because the challenges are presented rapidly, and because government is short of financial resources such as we see today. This does not have to be the case.

Ben Franklin on the various interests working on the US Constitution: “For when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an assembly can a perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does.”

Government leadership and initiative can work to set aside prejudices, passions, errors of opinion, special local interests, and selfish views to develop actions and near- and long-term policies that manage competing interests to the end that benefits all stakeholders. Bringing together stakeholders to air, debate, discuss, and reach consensus is a positive and productive role for government as it has the responsibility to produce the best outcome for all of its citizens, without favoring one group over another.

The opportunity for the usually competing four (business, government, the environmental community, and cities and towns) is to respond to challenges by coming together in an open forum with the objective of gaining win-win solutions for all parties, and community health and lifestyle is maintained and businesses can prosper in the desired conditions.

Governments need to ensure that business prospers when it benefits the citizenry by encouraging jobs but also allowing a healthy and safe environment.

Terry Marasco

“The care of human life

and happiness and not their

destruction is the first and only

 legitimate object of good

government."

Thomas Jefferson to

Maryland Republicans,

1809. ME 16:

"The happiness and prosperity of our

citizens... is the only legitimate

 object of government and the

first  duty of governors."

Thomas Jefferson to

Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811. ME 13:41

RE: National Governments: “We seek sustainable development, which includes preserving natural resources and maintaining a healthy environment. We seek equitable development, which ensures that all groups in society, not just those at the top, enjoy the fruits of development. And we seek democratic development, in which citizens participate in a variety of ways in making the decisions that affect their lives.”

 Joseph Stiglitz, Senior Vice President The World Bank, January 7, 1998

Read John D. Leshy