Farmland will be destroyed
Dean Spader • Vermillion • November 1, 2009
Thank you to the Argus Leader for printing the Oct. 13 My Voice column from James Heisinger pointing out pollution problems at the proposed Hyperion oil refinery in Union County. Heisinger was correct when he wrote that "Hyperion's clean-and-green promises (are) a myth."
Hyperion plans to refine the dirtiest crude oil on the continent (Canadian tar sands crude oil), and as a result, even Hyperion admits that this refinery will release more carbon dioxide per barrel than any other refinery in the nation.
Our political and business leaders took enormous risks that almost destroyed our financial system, and now they are taking enormous risks that will destroy our environment.
Scientists estimate a 50-50 risk of major global damage if the carbon dioxide in the air reaches 450 parts per million. We're already at 390 parts per million, and the leading scientist on global warming, James Hansen of NASA, recently concluded that 350 parts per million is the level we must return to.
Hansen has been correct since the early 1980s, and more than 20 major weather modeling systems now support his conclusions.
Worse yet, this refinery will destroy 6,000 acres of the richest farmland in the world. It also will release more than 5,000 tons of toxins into the air every year, which then will be absorbed by crops in surrounding fields to end up in the food on our dinner plates.
No advanced civilization destroys and pollutes its source of food. Nor should any Christian nation ever deliberately annihilate rich cropland when 1 billion people are starving.
Also, this refinery will suck 10 million to 12 million gallons of water per day from a Missouri River shoreline aquifer, another unreasonable decision when many other parts of the United States are facing future water shortages.
I agree with Heisinger's conclusion: Hyperion should end up on "the scrap heap of bad ideas."
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20091101/VOICES09/911010320/1052/OPIN...
