Question of the Day from Drift River.
The legislative session in Juneau is over, and there’s sort of a “sigh of relief” vibe going around. But some things just won’t go away. There is still the question of oil. Actually, there are many questions about oil. The questions may not be as “provocative” as our governor in Arctic Cat leathers, or as entertaining as the filling of our vacant senate seat, but they are there, constantly, like a big dark spectre hanging over our heads. Chevron has millions of gallons of crude oil stored in tanks sitting in between the slopes of an active volcano, and a large salmon-rich body of water. We are allowing the forces of nature, and the whim of an active volcano to determine whether or not we will have a disaster on our hands.
Crossing your fingers is never a good environmental policy.
We’ve had weeks of weather that has kept Redoubt “out of sight and out of mind” for many Alaskans. But this morning, it was beautiful, crisp, almost spring-like, and clear as a bell. I’m lucky in that I can sit there in the morning while I’m pulling on my socks and see this absolutely awesome spectacle in perfect safety, right out my window. On clear days like today, you can see the plume change from moment to moment, and reflect the morning light. Mt. Redoubt is most definitely awake. And it’s beautiful, from here.
There are a few people out there who do not take their eye off this ball, regardless of the visibility. They are not distracted by Naughty Monkey pumps, or Right to Life Banquets. They have their laser focus on the tanks at Chevron’s Drift River facility. One such organization is Cook Inletkeeper, and they have questions. Lots of them.
So here’s our question for the day.
What’s going on?
Immediately after the March 22 eruption, pictures emerged showing significant flooding and mud and debris flows at the Drift River Terminal, including images showing over-topping of the tank farm’s protective diking system, loss of freeboard on the outside of the diking system, and mud and water accumulations and associated damage around various parts of the facility. Shortly after, the U.S. Coast Guard restricted the air space over the terminal, and since that time, detailed photos have been unavailable to the media and the public*.
Instead, information has been carefully controlled by the Unified Command, and the public has no information sources to verify accurate on-the-ground conditions. For example, as discussed previously, the unified Command has not posted the Drift River Terminal’s C-Plan on its web site. Additionally, in light of significant questions regarding mechanical spill response capacity in the conditions associated with a lahar-induced spill, the Unified Command has posted no information or plans regarding other response tools, such as the use of dispersants, or the use of in-situ burning (ISB). There have been legitimate questions raised regarding the effectiveness and relative toxicity of dispersants, and questions regarding air quality and air standards modeling have been raised for ISB. Accordingly, prior to, and now after, March 22, the public has been denied the basic information needed to help the Unified Command make open, transparent and informed decisions.
*In response to concerns expressed by Inletkeeper regarding updated photos of the facility, the Unified Command posted several images from an April 4 flyover. But those images are from high altitude, making it impossible to understand any impacts from the April 4 eruption; similarly, the most recent photos do not show areas of the facility previously impacted by mud, water and debris flows.
The last photo available that shows the tank farm is this one from NASA.
That itty bitty little white square surrounded by all that black volcanic debris, the flow of which has been described as “a wall of cement” coming down the mountain, is Chevron’s tank farm. So, what does it look like from close up?
What’s going on?
And that’s our question for the day.
meat haras, smackdown on Seibelius on MSNBC this am David Shuster reporting.
Claims strange timing on the campaign to stop confirmation. “not smartest way to stop confirmation”
David Shuster meat haras a little bit unusual.
Krubozumo: excellent questions. Those Mudpuppies who keep lists of media and governmental contacts, do you have emails of people in Dept. of Interior, or Homeland Security (home of FEMA, I think), to whom you might send these excellent questions? If the Federal Government got involved, I suspect there’d be more transparency. Or what about Kim Elton of recent Juneau fame? While he might not be in the right Interior Department, he may be able to pass them along to the right folks. There seem to be many Kim fans among the Juneau contingent, any with contacts?
I smell a rat and I’m 4,194 miles away. That ktu link from [49] Cynamen Winter is over 30 days old…no *cough* update?
Let’s just say I don’t believe much of what L. Santiago is being told to tell me.
.
Notice, no crediting whose quote that is from the ghost face Cook Inlet Pipe Line Co..
I don’t like being lead down the garden path. What AKM reported has more cred. Way more credibility.
Lynnrockets: I REMEMBER BANANA SPLITS!!! ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8jlJpceXpY
Lynnerockets, you ROCK!
SARAH AND HER PETS
(sung to the Elton John song “Bennie and the Jets”)
Hey kids, let’s sing this together
Sarah P’s as-so-ci-ates
Are as tasteful as shoe leather
They’re a filthy bunch of pigs that
Should be hosed-down
You’re never gonna wanna be ‘round a
Bigger bunch of clowns
Say, Kennie and Rossie, have you seen them yet – (ooh)
But they’re so way out, (sa sa sa sa sa) Sarah and her pets
Oh, then Uncle Ted and Whooten too
And Todd with his snow-machine
He’s got mukluk boots and a pink snow-suit
I saw it pictured in a magazine
Sarah and her pets
Hey Kids, she pals around with Greta
And her husband John
Each of them a bed-wetter
Don’t forget the Joes, Sixpack, and the Plum-ber
When we think of all her Kooks and her creeps
Our mood becomes such a bum-mer
Oh, Kennie and Rossie, have you seen them yet – (ooh)
But they’re so way out, (sa sa sa sa sa) Sarah and her pets
Oh, then Uncle Ted and Whooten too
And Todd with his snow-machine
He’s got mukluk boots and a pink snow-suit
I saw it pictured in a magazine (ohh ho)
(sa sa sa)Sarah and her pets
(Musical Interlude)
Oh, Kennie and Rossie, have you seen them yet – (ooh)
But they’re so way out, (sa sa sa sa sa) Sarah and her pets
Oh, then Uncle Ted and Whooten too
And Todd with his snow-machine
He’s got mukluk boots and a pink snow-suit
I saw it pictured in a magazine (ohh ho)
(sa sa sa)Sarah and her pets
Sarah, Sarah and her pets
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and her pets
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and her pets
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and her pets
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and the jets (jets) (jets) (jets)
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah and the jets
Why the secrecy? Very good question, indeed.
AKM…beautiful view
When Mt St. Helen’s blew, we (SoCal) had ashy skies for what seemed like weeks…I can’t imagine what you went through up there!
@ Rob in Ca.
Thanks for providing the flashbacks…and her is some raw footage and close up aerial shots (especially the 2nd video) which shows the tanks literally encased. Daunting, to say the least.
http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?S=10065196
@lynnrockets
THE BALLAD OF TODD AND SARAH
(Sung to the Beatles song “The Ballad of John and Yoko”)
————- you are so talented putting together all these many lyrics…
BUT, 🙂 please don’t desecrate The Beatles with anything palin.
here’s my question: where the heck is the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council?
The Prince William Sound RCAC would have been all over this. But CIRCAC has been COMPLETELY invisible. They were set up after the Exxon Spill to give citizens a voice, but all they have done is become a mouthpiece for the industry and the agencies. check out their web site and you will see NO original information: http://www.circac.org
the most dangerous form of complacency is the facade of vigilance….
@lynnrockets
OUCH! Yep, Thomas is playing waaaay better than Price. Halak in net for the next game. *ahem* but the writing is on the wall.
– no idea what banana splits were though. 🙂
@Krubozumo Nyankoye: You always show up with great questions and information. And from Chevron, the answer to most of your questions: a shrug of corporate shoulders, eff y’all, we are only beholden to our top executives and ‘shareholders’.
@UK Lady: Jail time? Not bloody likely. Like Exxon, Chevron won’t even be liable for damages. They’ll keep the case tied up in the courts until hell freezes over.
This is a stretch, but does anyone remember the Banana Splits Saturday morning children’s TV show. If so, you might understand this ditty. If not, I’ll try harder next time.
THE SARAH PALIN SPLITS
(sung to the TV theme of “The Banana Splits”)
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
One Sarah P., two Sarah P.’s, three Sarah P.’s, four.
Seven Palins make a bunch so let’s show them the door.
Over hill and highway we can drive them from the scene
Wouldn’t it be helpful if we used Todd’s snow-Machine?
It would be a load of fun
Watching Palins on the run
Lots of fun for everyone
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Four Sarah P.’s, three Sarah P.’s, two Sarah P.’s, one.
No Palins left in the land of the midnight sun
Off like Bristol’s prom dress, like a tree that leaves
Sarah, Todd and the rest of the thieves.
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
Tra la la, la la la la,
All I can say is that the photo scares the crap out of me. Thanks for keeping this on the radar AKM.
This reeks of corruption and hopefully it will trace right back to Little Ms Bring Big Oil Down. Something just doesn’t smell right here…
@ Quetzalcoatl:
Too many injuries, too little talent, methinks. At this point, the “Killer B’s” are 8 and 1 against the Habs this season. Then again, this is only the first round so I should restrain my enthusiasm.
Gorgeous photo, AKM!
Ah, the land of the free white corporations, controlled by the Unified Command, as the storage tanks float into the sea.
Since when is Unified Command beholden to corporations?
What happened to the safety of the Alaskans and fish included? When you can’t live off the land traditionally, whachagonnado?
Are they following the footsteps of Italy’s fascist Berlusconi? Seismologist Was Forced to Remove Italy Earthquake Warning From the Internet.
Guido Bertolaso, head of Italy’s Civil Protection Agency, saying last week, “These imbeciles enjoy spreading false news … Everyone knows that you can’t predict earthquakes.”
LOL, remind you of some governor somewhere?
Color Code Orange, folks
I’m concerned, Alaskans! & PO’d.
I’m guessing google earth doesn’t zoom in close enough there?
@Krubozumo Nyankoye, #1 Answer: I read it would co$t due to contamination of the container…. the sea and wildlife? meh.
Great lyrics, lynnrockets, WTG! eh? Shortbus. Et pauvre Montréal, too many injuries I say!
@bubbles…you’re welcome. and I agree, absolutely!
with one correction (in my opinion)…50 yrs ago is now…she STILL associates what someone’s name is, as whether they’re a good person or a bad person.
Ignorance at it’s finest!
bubbles – glad to hear that you are “perkin’ up” !!
@lainey; thanks for the link. i was thinking as i read the article that fifty years ago reihan salam would have been lynched for even speaking to sarah palin never mind speaking for her or about her. that is why men like michael steele, clarence thomas, bobby jindal and this jerkoff are despised.
Hey folks:
I know that this is way off topic, but did anyone see the Boston Bruins just stuff it to Montreal? A real work of art.
The Times They Are a-Changin’
Have you read this?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-16/a-palin-supporters-regrets/
ausintx you are super sweet. too, also. i been feeling lots better…loveb
@lynnrockets: sarah may. my favorite. you. london bridges and bardette are wonderful wordsmiths. glad to have you here dear friends. hugs to all my mudpeeps….b
lynnrockets………you are smokin’ hot dude !! or is it dudette ??
#30 Rob in Ca
You’re welcome, the AVO site listed on AKM’s sidebar has great photos of the volcano from yesterday all the way back to the first of the lahars.
SARAH MAY
(sung to Rod Stewart’s song “Maggie May”)
Wake up Sarah I think we’ve got something to say to you
Since last September you’ve really acted like a praying fool
The First Dude’s really a joke.
Not to mention your other kinfolk.
Oh, Sarah I wish we’d never seen your face
You’ve disgraced our wonderful home
Time has come for you to be de-throned
You reflect on us and that’s what really hurts
The morning sun when its in your face really shows your age
I’m sure that worries you some, cuz in your eyes you’re everything
You’re so damn full of yourself
Without a care for anyone else
Oh, Sarah your faults can’t be covered by paper and lace
You’ve disgraced our wonderful home
Got pranked by Sar-ko-zy on the phone
And you’ve cast your lot with likes of Ol’ Wayne Ross
What we needed was a Guv who was a role model
But you’re a backwoods “Hockey Mom” and
Mother what a bum, you’ll be thrown out
Levi Sleepin’ in Bristol’s bed
Renewed support for Old Uncle Ted
Oh, Sarah you’re bringing down the human race
You’ve disgraced our wonderful home
A lipsticked pitbull with a poisonous bone
Politics of hate are something we can live without
(Musical Interlude)
I suppose with all your fancy clothes you’ll be a game show host
Or use some common sense and have your mental state diagnosed
Or become a lobbying rat, and work for “Arctic Cat”
Oh, Sarah just leave and take along your base
You made first-class fools out of us
In school you must have rode that short bus
You stole our hearts then threw that love away!
(Musical Interlude)
Sarah, I wish we’d never seen your face
We’ll get our pride back one of these days
Krubozumo…great questions.
Thanks!
AKM, Beautiful photo, powerful question! Bet the Chevron folks and GINO were hoping no one was watching. I think I recall reading that, as mayor, SP instructed her staff to only bring her good news. There is little hope she will address the Drift River facility unless it becomes an issue that affects her image. I hope your post stirs the pot and gets an answer and some action. Clearly, the ‘crossed fingers policy’ has been in place too long.
Holy cats- that view is almost exactly the same as the one out of my window!
News bulletins released by both the coast guard and the CIPC stopped about April 5th *after* they had stated they had removed approx. 1/2 the oil ( about 3 million gallons) from the two tanks with oil still in them. They also announced they planned to replace that oil with water to ballast the tanks so they would not be bouyant. The pipeline that carries oil to the terminal for shipment has been shut down as has been the production that feeds the pipeline for at least 3 weeks. The volcano has been in a dome building phase now for about two weeks with constant seismic activity and the steam plume caused by the melting of snow and water coming into contact with the hot dome rocks. It is only a matter of time until there are further explosive eruptions if the past pattern of Redoubt’s behavior is any measure.
That leaves a laundry list of questions.
1. If water will serve as ballast for the tanks why not remove all the oil and replace it with water, water is more dense than oil?
2. The remaining oil (~3.2 million gallons) is worth roughly $3 million, why not remove it rather than risk loosing it?
3. The height of the containment barrier around the terminal is now a moot point. Lahars are not floods, when the lahar stops flowing it solidifys in place, therefore even if the berm were 6 meters high, since the last lahars appear to have reached nearly to the top of the berm, the height of the berm relative to the *next* lahars is effectively zero. Why not move the oil while there is still time? The next lahars may completely bury the terminal.
4. Why restrict low level airspace near the terminal, there is virtually no danger to fixed wing aircraft as any explosive eruption would occur at a much higher altitude and would give ample warning for an aircraft to leave the area?
5. Why stop publishing information on the status of the terminal and the status of the drawdown operations?
6. Why stop publishing information on the status of the coast guard’s readiness to cope with events if the terminal is overrun by future lahars?
7. From the appearance of the satellite image the dispersal of the lahars in the Drift river delta has changed significantly. The normal channel of the Drift river ran sw to ne to the north of the terminal, later flow debris can be seen in a wide area west of the terminal and several km south of the terminal location. Where are the detailed low level images that would provide a means to understand how the channel has changed due to the flow debris buildup from several lahars?
8. Where are the low level images that were available after the first explosive eruptions that gave an indication of the height and volume of lahars from points up stream for the subsequent lahars? AVO originally was publishing these images but no new ones have been forthcoming despite the fact that the volcano has been in a more quiescent state and there have been several maintenance flights to seismometer and camera stations when the weather was good enough to fly.
9. Is any assessment being done of the changes to the Drift river channel due to the preceding sequence of lahars and if so why is this information not being made public? If no assessments are taking place, why not? It could be done from low level oblique aerial photographs.
10. Since there has apparently been extensive development of later lahars surrounding the terminal, and there was evidence early on of some damage at the terminal from the first lahars, what is the current state of damage to the terminal? Are the pumps and pipe to drawdown the tanks still in working order? Are they even still there?
11. If, due to current damage, it is no longer possible to drawdown the remaining oil at the terminal, does the coast guard have a worst case scenario plan in place along with the necessary equipment, to contain the release of the remaining oil?
12. What is the response time for any such plans to go into action?
13. Where is the Alaska press? Why are they not asking questions of the coast guard, deq and CIPC?
14. Today clear images of the volcano were available from avo cameras, at least one image showed the buildup of the lava dome and a deep ravine that has been eroded into the Drift river glacier by previous dome collapse events leading to the previous lahars. What assessment has been done of the remaining potential for future lahars generated by explosive collapse and further erosion of the glacier? Why is this information not public if it exists?
15. Did all the agencies concerned with this situation suddenly have an attack of procrastination and fail to do their jobs for the past two weeks or was an order specifically issued to shut down the public release of this information?
16. If so, by whom and on what grounds?
I’ll stop now.
I won’t post any links to the relevant entities but they can all be found by simple google search starting with Cook Inlet Pipeline Company.
@ London Bridges:
Impressive. Maybe we can produce an album entitled, “Sarah’s Finest Moments” or something.
To everyone else:
I hope that song made-up for my inebriated incoherent ramblings of late last week. We all go out and imbibe sometimes, I guess.
Rob in Ca Says:
April 20th, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Wouldn’t it be just great if the Governor expressed concern about the facility in an official statement, and asked for a clear plan of action from all parties that play a part in this? C’mon, Sarah….you wouldn’t even have to make a decision on it. Just ask the question!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The problem is since Mt. Redoubt started rumbling…The weekend of the Alfafa dinner….she has done nothing, zip, nadda! Oh there was a blurb on SarahPac, about wearing masks for ash…(Hey did you Alaskans know to go to SARAHPAC for official statements???)
The oil people are her friends. She is not going to make waves. All the Alaskan newspapers except Dennis Zaki are afraid of her. So no one says, zip, nada.
Who in charge of closing the airspace down, coast guard??? And who’s in charge of the coast guard? the Gov maybe???
For all you know the area is already destroyed!!!!! Someone needs to call her out on it. ITS HER FRICKEN JOB TO GOVERN!
LynnRockets, Thank you for a needed smile. I sang along.
London Bridges Says:
April 20th, 2009 at 4:38 PM
LynnRockets you rock! Do you have recordings available of Sarah Songs?
*************************************
Barring copyright issues , and of course AKM’s blessing , might be a hot item for the store………IMHO.
Here’s an old song I reworked last August:
I Knew An Ol’ Guv’nor Who Made Up A Fib
A parody of “I Knew An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly”
Melody: Alan Mills
I knew an ol’ guv’nor who made up a fib
Perhaps she’s glib.
I knew an ol’ guv’nor who employed distortion
To make people think she opposed abortion
She created distortion to cover the fib
Why ever she did make up the fib?
Perhaps she’s glib.
I knew an ol’ guv’nor was in a conundrum.
She didn’t tell Brissie how to install a condom
Was in a conundrum because of distortion to cover a fib
Why ever she did make up the fib?
Perhaps she’s glib.
I knew an ol’ guv’nor who failed to disclose
To John all the true facts that everyone knows
She failed to disclose about her conundrum
Over her distortion to cover her fib
Why ever she did make up the fib?
Perhaps she’s glib.
I knew on ol’ gov’nor who told us a lie
To preserve her place on the VP seat.
She told us a lie and failed to disclose
Her conundrum over her distortion to cover her fib
Why ever she did make up the fib?
Perhaps she’s glib.
I knew an ol’ guv’nor who decided to fly
Air Republican, Oh, my, oh my!
LynnRockets you rock! Do you have recordings available of Sarah Songs?
Here is a closeup of the tank farm on March 23, showing the dike. You can see where the mud spilled over the dike. This is before any oil was moved out.
https://themudflats.net/2009/03/25/chevron-tanks-endangered-by-volcano-drain-baby-drain/
Here is a link to a larger picture, from before the mudflows…
https://themudflats.net/2009/04/02/drain-baby-drain-chevron-tanks-will-be-drained/
As you see in the most recent picture, the mudflows jumped the Drift River bed, and went straight to the sea right next to the tank farm, which is now surrounded on both sides.
I am going to try to find the picture showing the mud spilling into the tank enclosure…hold on!
lynnrockets is ba-a-a-c-c-k !!!
Oh, lynnrockets, you hit it out of the ballpark again! I stand (or rather sit at the moment) in awe!
THE BALLAD OF TODD AND SARAH
(Sung to the Beatles song “The Ballad of John and Yoko”)
Standing in the airport at Juneau,
Todd sporting his new campaign-bought pants.
But then SarahPac
Said,“They’ve got to go back”,
“You look just like a homo from France.”
Christ you know it ain’t easy,
You know how hard it can be,
To play second fiddle,
To the Caribou-Barbie.
Finally flew into Indiana
Sarah giving a Pro-Life speech
Her decision rejoiced,
As to her Baby Trig choice.
Because she practiced exactly what she preached.
Christ you know it ain’t easy,
Sarah admitted as much.
She did have a choice, though
She would deny one to us.
Meanwhile in her home-state of Alaska,
Wayne Ross was tapped for an open seat.
The Dem’s had a fear that he was too anti-queer,
They said, “He’s never going to be the A.G.”
Christ you know she’s so sleazy,
But she’ll keep our wallets fat
By wearing those outfits
That she gets from “Arctic Cat”
Keeping every penny of per-diem pay,
Lying about clothes to charity,
Daughter that’s unwed,
Praise for Uncle Ted.
Her chance of re- election
Pretty low – Think!
Relatives all getting arrested.
Family dignity in free-fall.
Constituents claim,
“Sarah is to blame”
Not much of a role-model at all.
Christ you know it ain’t easy
You know how hard it can be.
The way things are going,
We should impeach Sarah P.
How did we choose Sarah to begin with?
She is just a political hack.
A dumb “hockey mom”,
That can’t think and chew gum.
Why didn’t we elect “Joe Sixpack?”
Christ she makes us uneasy.
In Yiddish we say, “Oy Vey.”
We’d love to replace her
With our good friend, Tina Fey.
We’d love to replace her
With our good friend, Tina Fey.
I think they removed some of the oil, but not all of it, and I don’t think there were plans to remove the rest.
And Rob in CA is right; now that I look more closely at the photo, I think that is the edge of the mountain at the lower left corner. I’m not sure how much further over the crater/summit is.
Palin has done nothing about the tank farm because she doesn’t have a clue what she should do. That’s her MO: When she is clueless she sticks her head into the sand and does……nothing.
OK, so we learned what from the Exxon Valdez? Ah, yes…that it is cheaper for the oil companies to “clean up” spills than to prevent them. They get off with a little hand slap, and try not to laugh out loud. Prevention would have meant halting production and drawing down the oil in the tanks well in advance of when they were finally forced to do so.
When Drunk’n Joe’s crew drove the Valdez into the rock, the number one concern of Exxon was to retrieve the oil from the Valdez, then, tow the vessel out of the way so that production could resume. Towing the vessel still spewing oil, and into an otherwise clean bay where it sat, out of the shipping channels, and continued to spew.
Sorry, but this is business as usual and in fact, business as rewarded.
Mt Redoubt is in the lower left corner. I believe the top is just out of the picture. As for the dike, I don’t know how tall it is, but a picture we saw earlier showed it had already been overtopped in one section by the debris flow.
In short….it’s too short!
Note that the volcanic debris flow has followed the Drift River right to the tank farm, and flowed right past it.
I thought that Chevron had announced plans to drain the tank farm. Did I dream that? Or was it just another “pat us on the heads” ploy?
Oops, I should have said “There IS some…”
@Physicsmom–the mountain isn’t actually in that photo. It’s somewhere off to the left of that image.
There some dike built around the tanks, but I don’t have any clue how tall it is.
It would be helpful if someone who had photoshop skillz marked the location of Mt. Redoubt on the picture above. I’m having a hard time with perspective in that photo. Among the many scary things GINO does, this is one of the worst – ignoring the plight of the natural resources in her state in favor of corporations, and only certain ones, ie. oil rather than commercial fishing. We know, of course, that subsistence fishers or small businesspeople are persona non grata in her world.
At first glance…it would appear that it is a tad too late to “rescue” any remaining crude that’s contained within that itty bitty area ….which not only puts the tank farm at risk ~ but also the farms of salmon could be in harms way.
Are there any tall, concrete barries that surround the Chevron site?
Sorry to answer a question w/ another….
AKM, I have to hand it to you–even when the political scene has cooled a bit, you find pertinent questions that need addressing.
In a way, this is worse than the Exxon Valdez, in that Chevron has known about the potential–and now actual–danger to the tank farm for quite a while, and is not being upfront about what’s being done to address it.
And of course, what is Mad Sarah doing about it? Umm, the same she does about other pressing issues not directly related to her…not much, or nothing at all.
The people in charge of this installation should be aware that they would do serious jail time if there was a catastrophe. I hope this is actually the case. It is no less serious than if they were using sub standard materials for infrastructure.
Wouldn’t it be just great if the Governor expressed concern about the facility in an official statement, and asked for a clear plan of action from all parties that play a part in this? C’mon, Sarah….you wouldn’t even have to make a decision on it. Just ask the question!
There is a reason that no other state in the United States has people wearing buttons saying ‘Where’s Sarah?”.
(Hint: the reason is NOT because the other Governors have different names.)
Since the subject is volcano – I’ll repost this.
77 austintx Says:
April 19th, 2009 at 12:46 PM
OT – There is no question that Mt. Redoubt is of major concern to Alaskans. These folks have found a way to have fun with their live volcano. Who will be the first AK. mudpuppie to do it ?!?! I want pictures !!
Wheeeeeeeee !!!!!!!
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/travel/19headsup.html?ref=todayspaper
What was Chevron thinking when they put the tank farm there in the first place? What advantages did the site have that would mitigate the possibility of the tank farm being destroyed by a lava flow?
And that is one scary d*mn question. Personally, I think it’s past time corporations were held accountable.