HOW many times do Kanawha County residents have to learn that their airport cannot follow basic environmental laws intended to prevent disturbed earth from sliding downhill in the rain, hurting Coonskin Park, altering streams and creating worse problems?

Yeager Airport was again cited for several more water pollution problems caused by the project to extend a runway and move a taxiway.

In March, Yeager officials agreed to a settlement with the state Department of Environmental Protection to fix drainage and erosion problems.

But on May 8, a DEP inspector found more erosion problems, including some that were identified in March but not corrected.

The inspector found that a road is eroding and proper ditch lines and water bars were not installed. The plan that Yeager and the DEP agreed to included no timeline.

Would that help? A simple timeline?

What a groundbreaking idea. Yeager and the DEP can now write deadlines for the airport to comply with state law. Then Airport Director Rick Atkinson can walk around the site every day to make sure the fixes are made according to schedule. Can it be that difficult?

This project has had problems since it started, when Atkinson assured the public that contractors were following all environmental laws, but they weren't.

When agencies act in the public's name, it is entirely reasonable to expect them to follow the public's laws.

Yeager Airport was again cited for several more water pollution problems caused by the project to extend a runway and move a taxiway.

In March, Yeager officials agreed to a settlement with the state Department of Environmental Protection to fix drainage and erosion problems.

But on May 8, a DEP inspector found more erosion problems, including some that were identified in March but not corrected.

The inspector found that a road is eroding and proper ditch lines and water bars were not installed. The plan that Yeager and the DEP agreed to included no timeline.

Would that help? A simple timeline?

What a groundbreaking idea. Yeager and the DEP can now write deadlines for the airport to comply with state law. Then Airport Director Rick Atkinson can walk around the site every day to make sure the fixes are made according to schedule. Can it be that difficult?

This project has had problems since it started, when Atkinson assured the public that contractors were following all environmental laws, but they weren't.

When agencies act in the public's name, it is entirely reasonable to expect them to follow the public's laws.