On March 14, 2008, I attended a meeting and a hearing at the Hammond Civic Center. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was gathering comments about an air quality permit for the upgrades to the BP Whiting refinery.
The first hour was called a public meeting, where IDEM conducted an open mike session, after the chief of air quality at IDEM announced that the permit would be issued.
The meeting was stacked with union workers wearing 4” BP buttons. I would say 900 of the 1000 in attendance were in this category.
Once again it was "us" versus "them" -- jobs vs. the environment. Why can’t we have clean air, clean water and jobs? After all, workers need both, and the region needs both.
The expanded BP refinery will increase output of lead and CO2 into the air as well as increases in particulates and ammonia into Lake Michigan.
Why is it that a corporation as wealthy ($236 billion in assets) and as profitable ($20.8 billion after tax profits in 2007) as BP would not “do the right thing” and construct a zero discharge facility?
How much more cost would be required in the planned $3.8 billion upgrade? Probably less than 10%. The publicity over a zero discharge refinery would be worth much more than the additional cost. That’s Marketing 101.
When Forbes published their environmental assessments of the fifty states, they had this to say about #49: “Much the same as West Virginia, Indiana received across the board low marks. It had the sixth highest carbon footprint of any state, and four of its metro areas are listed by the American Lung Association as having bad smog problems, and one with an ozone pollution problem. We ranked its water quality worse than only four other states, using PIRG data.”
Of the bottom five, it said “All suffer from a mix of toxic waste, lots of pollution and consumption and no clear plans to do anything about it. Expect them to remain that way.”
Just as Bob Dylan knew “you don’t have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” one doesn’t have to be an “environmentalist” to want a clean environment.
Because Indiana cannot attract clean and green businesses, the Daniels administration has made it clear that our economic development policy includes invitations to polluting businesses to a state with weak environmental regulations and lax enforcement.
That is the only option with his policy of “money trumps quality of life.” Until economic development integrates quality of life to create win-win strategies, we all lose.
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5 comments:
Take a look at the bio of the commissioner at IDEM, Thomas Easterly. It seems that he's worked for many environmental organizations, but upon closer inspection, you find out that these are really lobbyists for pollution and organizations that help business "deal with" environmental regulations. There can be no honest protection of our environment with these kind of fox guarding the hen-house appointments.
http://www.in.gov/idem/commissioner/index.html
eclectivibe,
Foxes guarding the hen-house is business as usual in state and federal government under Democrats and Republicans.
Revolving door policies of filling high level government positions with industrial minions is just another way to ensure government control by special interests.
Plus all the while, their corporate buddies are lobbying the general assembly.
Is it any wonder that government is not our government?
Help us change that!
Foxes in the hen house is rampant with our two party system. With a Bonney administration, the right individuals will be put in charge of the right departments. Persons who understand the agencies they will lead. No more politcal appointment paybacks. Only qualified individuals need apply.
Bill
Steve, why does it have to be a "zero discharge facility"? How about a reduced discharge? Nature can clean itself if not overloaded.
I remember seeing BP advertisements about helping the environment in Indiana. I see now how committed they are to that. :/
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