BP Factory Faces Pressure From Media, Environmentalists
A new BP factory in Whiting, Indiana is drawing the ire of environmentalists and the media alike. A recent Chicago Tribune article attacked the opening of the new plant, citing a number of reasons why it is bad for the environment. There's a lot more to this story than the Tribune was willing to report.
These new energy plants are a tough issue for any community. People do not want these in their backyard, yet Americans use more energy per capita than any other country in the world. That energy needs to come from somewhere, and it can't always be "somebody else's backyard."
It should not be news to any American that this country is striving harder than ever to become energy independent. We've learned the hard way that relying on unfriendly countries to supply us with energy for the long-term is a very poor strategy.
The new BP plant received permission from the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. I know that fails to impress environmentalists, who tend to distrust any government agency headed by politicians. I don't blame them, but it's important to look at all the facts in this case.
Although this plant will be dumping ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan, the oil refined there will offset oil that would have been refined somewhere else if this plant did not exist. It also should be noted that the amounts of those chemicals are within the legal limits and experts agree that they are low enough to avoid damaging the environment or harming people. For people who live next to the new BP plant, that's bad news. For others who do not live near the plant -- such as myself -- it's a good thing. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Don't get too angry at me, I've got a landfill at the end of my road.
About 80 new jobs will be created by this BP site. That's good for the local community, which will help offset some of the damage. In addition, this refinery will be the first new one in the United States in almost 30 years. Did you wonder what was causing gas prices to soar this summer, despite a lack of any noticeable turmoil in the countries that supply our oil? It was a lack of refining capacity in the United States. Many refineries have even been shut down so they can be repaired, leading to even less supply. This new plant will feature technology not available in the older refineries, which will mean fewer problems and better reliability in the future.
It's clear that independence from oil altogether is the best long-term plan for this country, but in the meantime we need to do more to become independent of foreign oil. There will be a high price to pay if we do not find a solution for our oil problem, and we don't have time to wait for hydrogen or solar cars.
These new energy plants are a tough issue for any community. People do not want these in their backyard, yet Americans use more energy per capita than any other country in the world. That energy needs to come from somewhere, and it can't always be "somebody else's backyard."
It should not be news to any American that this country is striving harder than ever to become energy independent. We've learned the hard way that relying on unfriendly countries to supply us with energy for the long-term is a very poor strategy.
The new BP plant received permission from the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. I know that fails to impress environmentalists, who tend to distrust any government agency headed by politicians. I don't blame them, but it's important to look at all the facts in this case.
Although this plant will be dumping ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan, the oil refined there will offset oil that would have been refined somewhere else if this plant did not exist. It also should be noted that the amounts of those chemicals are within the legal limits and experts agree that they are low enough to avoid damaging the environment or harming people. For people who live next to the new BP plant, that's bad news. For others who do not live near the plant -- such as myself -- it's a good thing. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Don't get too angry at me, I've got a landfill at the end of my road.
About 80 new jobs will be created by this BP site. That's good for the local community, which will help offset some of the damage. In addition, this refinery will be the first new one in the United States in almost 30 years. Did you wonder what was causing gas prices to soar this summer, despite a lack of any noticeable turmoil in the countries that supply our oil? It was a lack of refining capacity in the United States. Many refineries have even been shut down so they can be repaired, leading to even less supply. This new plant will feature technology not available in the older refineries, which will mean fewer problems and better reliability in the future.
It's clear that independence from oil altogether is the best long-term plan for this country, but in the meantime we need to do more to become independent of foreign oil. There will be a high price to pay if we do not find a solution for our oil problem, and we don't have time to wait for hydrogen or solar cars.
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