BP wanted to spend $3 billion to upgrade their Whiting Indiana refinery to utilize Canadian tar sand crude. A pipeline is being built to bring this crude to the Midwest. This is the most secure crude Illinois and the Midwest can get excluding any scraps left in Texas. It is a very heavy crude and BP was going to build a coker to accept this type of crude. All the Federal and state of Indiana EPA permits were granted. The Chicago Tribune printed a front page article that BP was going to dump sludge into Lake Michigan. Durbin was Johnny at the rat hole on this one. I guess if you are a rat you are always near the rat hole.
This was an opportunity for Senator Durbin to get some much needed air time. Basically, he, mayor Daily, and a couple of congressmen stopped the project. BP had to appear before a hearing in Washington to defend the project and they were asked to find ways to meet tougher standards than those of the EPA. There was no sludge but there would be an increment of two pounds of mercury a year that would go into the lake. Every time it rains in the Chicago area 12 pounds of mercury falls in the lake from non refining pollution. So, the project is still on hold and Durbin got his air time.
Now comes the new environmentally friendly light bulb. It’s filled with mercury and the only environmentally friendly part of it is Gore’s endorsement. Supposedly, it saves a miniscule amount of power. But, they are all made in China. God forbid we make anything with mercury in it here in the USA. Who’s front and center endorsing the new light bulb? You guessed it, Senator Durbin. In one year these bulbs will dump more mercury pollutants into the atmosphere in Chicago than the refurbished Whiting refinery would have in a hundred years. Since the refinery itself is 115 years old, it may not last that long. So why is Dubrin crossing the street on the mercury issue? Air time again.
This senator is willing to put the security of Chicago’s major source of gasoline and liquid fuels at risk for air time. The pipeline carrying alternative fuel sources to Chicago is full. If the Whiting refinery goes down or is closed, guess what? The city that already has the highest gas prices in the US, except Alaska and Hawaii, would be on rationing. Why? for air time.
The senator who was so worried about two pounds of mercury going into Lake Michigan would endorse a light bulb that will dump hundreds of pounds into Lake Michigan. Why? air time.
Ladies and gentlemen, grandparents of America, we just can’t tolerate this anymore. When BP decides, screw it we don’t make enough money to put up with the Dick Durbins of America and pulls out of Whiting, where will Durbin be? Front and center saying " we, congress, will force BP to run the Whiting refinery".
Many of our elected officials try hard to represent us and the best interests of our nation. Unfortunately, we have far too many of the Durbins in the mix. It’s time to say the Durbins of our county have to go. They are destroying our future and that of our grandchildren.
