Clouded Vision

This story, Taxpayer Funded Horror at Standing Rock, came across my desk today.  Here’s the link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/02/22/taxpayer-funded-horror-at-standing-rock.html

There has to be a better way: to make decisions, to spend scarce tax dollars, to treat each other.  This is horrific on so many levels.  For those of you concerned that these events or this story are outside the bounds of what we should be concerned with, here’s a reminder of the vision statement of the Trust, a document that was written after the Bellingham pipeline explosion destroyed any public trust in institutions responsible for pipeline safety. In the continuing reports coming out of Standing Rock, this vision seems at least as far away as it must have seemed in 1999.  We have to do better.

Vision

A Vision for Our Communities

We See:

• Communities where residents feel safe from the hazards of energy infrastructure,
• Communities where residents trust their government to protect them from hazards,
• Government authorities that are proactive and innovative in their approaches to accident prevention,
• Energy production, distribution and consumption that is consistent with sustainable development principles,
• Energy and utility industries that are partners in promoting community safety and environmental protection . . . .