Saturday, August 25, 2007
More on lake water: I have to plead some ignorance on the lake water issue. I don't totally understand the issue. But I do understand job creation and I don't think allowing BP to dump more stuff in the lake to create more jobs is necessarily the best course of action. Yeah, we lost some high-paying positions, but I would prefer to have some clean water to drink in the next 10 to 20 years. What I wonder is whether this will be a reason to ratchet up gas prices again?
This move by IDEM and the federal government will not put BP out of business. And it will not force the closure of the Whiting refinery--there still are billions to be made making gasoline at the existing capacity. What it will do is force the company to look at its processes and find a better, preferably environmentally-friendly, way to discharge into the lake. Sometimes, the government has to say 'No' whether we want to or not. It can open a route to progress.
This move by IDEM and the federal government will not put BP out of business. And it will not force the closure of the Whiting refinery--there still are billions to be made making gasoline at the existing capacity. What it will do is force the company to look at its processes and find a better, preferably environmentally-friendly, way to discharge into the lake. Sometimes, the government has to say 'No' whether we want to or not. It can open a route to progress.
