Holding Army Corps of Engineers to a Higher Standard

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/08/army_corps_of_engineers_will_m.html#incart_related_stories

This article presents some strong accusations against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, claiming that the Government employees are said to be regulators of environmental law, but also a main component in the pollution that exists in the Columbia River. The main issue at hand is the lubricants that are used in the turbines on the eight dams on the Columbia are polluting the river. These lubricants are put in place to increase the efficiency of the turbines, but also have killer effects on the marine life in the river. In July 2013, Columbia Riverkeeper, the accusing party, sued the Corps and demanded to know what was going into the water and how much of it was going in. This is especially difficult matter to make a conclusion on because the Corps is not regulated under any permits. As part of the settlement, the Corps will pay $143,000, but admits no wrongdoing and all other charges were dropped. Who is going to enforce environmental policy when the U.S. Government can’t even hold itself to a higher standard?