EDITOR:
Like The Record-Courier, I went to the county code chapter 20 and reviewed the exact wording of who can appeal. I found their definition so narrow that I would question its constitutionality. I ask, when a permit application comes before the county to build a nuclear power plant in Carson Valley, will standing to appeal only include immediate physical neighbors? I suspect the whole country would request standing.
Much of the federal legislation surrounding environmental laws has very broad definitions of who has standing; we are all affected because we drink the water and breath the air and we should have the right to challenge rulings we feel will negatively impact our well being. This is democracy at its best.
Last, I noticed in chapter 20 that judicial appeals are also allowed and we have 25 days from the record of decision to challenge the county. And who has standing to file for a judicial appeal? Any aggrieved person.
Ed S. Kleiner
Gardnerville
