Chatbug Karen

I am so tired of the media telling part of the news so that it is slanted to make someone look bad. I guess they think it is more newsworthy to get people fired up about things.

I know that the media make things up. My parents worked for Northrop Aircraft Corporation in the 1970′s when the television news show, 60 Minutes, did a feature story on the company. 60 Minutes interviewed some employees who told some things about Northrop that were simply not true. If you didn’t have the facts, as my parents did, you would want to believe what those people said and think bad things about Northrop Aircraft. Since my parents told me about that situation, I have been very distrusting of the news media. I make sure to check something out before I take what I hear as the absolute truth.

For that reason, I want to tell you about an injustice being done to a company in my state of Indiana.

The BP Refinery in Whiting, Indiana is a large employer. They employ about 1700 people and have been an important part of Whiting’s positive economic picture for 117 years. They are very committed to environmental and civic issues. The Whiting Refinery produces gasoline, diesel and jet fuel that people need for their everyday lives. They strive to be good neighbor’s here in the Midwest by using modern technology to develop comprehensive, environmentally safe plans.

The Chicago Tribune recently ran an article about the BP Refinery and misrepresented some important facts.

Among the misrepresented facts:

1. The BP Refinery is planning to dump significantly more ammonia and industrial sludge into Lake Michigan, running counter to years of efforts to clean up the Great Lakes.

2. Indiana regulators exempted BP from state environmental laws to clear the way for a $3.8 billion expansion

3. BP Refinery is already one of the largest polluters along the Great Lakes

To read the entire article and see what other misinterpreted facts were in the article register at the Chicago Tribune website. It is free to register.

We all need to realize that we have to become less dependent on foreign oil. There are going to be some trade offs. However, BP Refinery strives to do it’s best to stay within the boundaries maintained by environmental laws and have in fact been well within the legal limits.

BP Refinery only deposits treated water into Lake Michigan. All sludge is treated separately and never allowed to enter Lake Michigan.
BP will remain within federal pollution guidelines, and both federal and state environmental authorities have reviewed the company’s plans. As part of the exemption deal, BP will build a new diffuser apparatus that will reduce the concentration of pollutants in the water by mixing them with clean water 200 feet from the shore.

BP plans to invest $3 billion to modernize the Whiting facility to allow it to process additional heavy crude oil from Canada. Wouldn’t you like to be employed by BP and know you had a secure job?

BP Whiting Refinery fact Sheet

As a business owner myself, I understand how a business can be hurt economically by misrepresentation. As a consumer, please do your best to look at both sides of an issue before coming to a conclusion. That is the fair thing to do.