EPA regulations created this clean environment

Dear Editor:

Senator Toomey's recent open house at Penn's Peak.

I was there. I noticed that there were both supporters and non-supporters in attendance. Mostly supporters of Sen. Toomey.

During his opening comments he related to his family's recent outing on the beautiful Lehigh River.

Unfortunately Sen. Toomey was too young to remember the river when it was loaded with Acid mine water, coal dirt and sewage. I do. As a kid growing up in Lehighton we were never allowed to go into the water for our safety sake.

Thanks to the EPA that created many rules and regulations that Sen. Toomey wants to gut. Without these regulations we would not have this beautiful river today. Both my father and grandfather were active in the 50's with the Lehigh River restoration group. The borough of Jim Thorpe today would be a ghost town. Instead we have a thriving economic town that has created many local small businesses that support many families.

There has also been a spill over to the surrounding communities. Two new hotels in Lehighton, new super Walmart and soon a new Lowe's home store. And they are all green types with no pollution created. Again this is all to the EPA regulations that created this clean environment.

George White

Lehighton, Pa