Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 10:22:13 -0400 (EDT) From: Competitive Enterprise Institute To: Recipients of the CEI List Subject: CEI List: PRESS RELEASE CEI PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact: Greg Smith (202) 331-1010 COMPENSATE VICTIMS OF REGULATORY REFORM WASHINGTON DC, July 12, -- Landowners should be compensated when federal regulations unreasonably deny them the reasonable use of their land,testified Jonathan H. Adler, Director of Environmental Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. "Compensation to landowners for regulatory takings is a simple matter of justice; private parties should not bear public costs," he concluded. Adler appeared today before the Senate Committee on Environmentand Public Works to testify on proposals to provide for compensation to landowners that are subject to regulatory takings. Adler's testimony challenged claims that so-called "takings"bills would undermine environmental protection. Such charges "represent a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of property rights and the proper role of government inprotecting them," Adler said. A takings compensation bill passed the House of Representatives as part ofthe "Contract with America," and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole is sponsoring another such bill in the Senate. Additional points made by Adler in his testimony were: * "If the public wants to protect species habitat or an ancient stand of trees for some broad 'environmental' value, then the public should be willing to pay for it, just as it pays for other 'public goods.'" * "Arguments over the potential cost of a takings compensation requirement obscure the more fundamental issue. Land-use regulations inevitably entail costs. The real issue is who should bear those costs." * "Government infringement upon property rights in the form of regulatory takings can have negative environmental impacts" and discourage landowners from creating or maintaining habitat for threatened or endangered species. Species should be protected from both government regulation and private malfeasance." CEI is a non-profit, non-partisan research and advocacy organization dedicated to the principles of free enterprise and limited government. In January, CEI published The Property Rights Reader, a collection of essays on property rights and environmental issues. For copies of the Reader or further information, contact Greg Smith, (202)331-1010. _______ ________ __________ / | | | |_______ | | | | \ _______ |_______ __________ COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE 1001 Connecticut Ave. NW #1250 Washington, DC 20036 202-331-1010, fax 202-331-0640 Permission to reprint must be obtained from the publishing journal listed above. Permission to copy granted as long as these lines are left intact. To subscribe to the cei list, send a message to CEI@digex.com. "The Virtual Hand: CEI's free-market guide to the information superhighway" is available for $5. CEI's monthly newsletter, "CEI UpDate," is free to contributors of $25.