The Dirty Secret at the Bottom of the Great Lakes

[upnorth]

The world's largest crude oil transporter has a secret buried deep in the Great Lakes, two aging oil pipelines that transport 23 million gallons of crude oil through the largest body of fresh water on earth. Enbridge, the company that operates the pipelines, insists that the two 20-inch pipelines stretching across the Straits of Mackinac could last indefinitely. But one look at the company’s environmental record tells another story: Enbridge had more than 800 spills in North America between 1999 and 2010, dumping nearly 6.8 million gallons of oil. The largest spill released one million gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River, only a few hours drive away from the Mackinac Straits. Activists and advocates have independently verified that parts of the pipeline built in 1953 are sitting unsupported on the bottom of the lake and in major need of repair. Motherboard travels to Michigan oil spill central to investigate the threats of crude oil being transported through one of the largest freshwater ecosystems in the world by a company with one of the most egregious environmental records.

The video gives a interesting view on what could happen in a worst case scenario. It's a Security issue worth to follow.

 

[vtqhtr413]

A lot has happened since this video article, there are several current articles on this one page if you're interested
Environmentalists say Enbridge tunnel risky

Foxconn wants to put a straw in to draw 5.8 million gallons a day.
Foxconn wants to divert 5.8 million gallons of Lake Michigan water a day. Is that legal?

Nestles draws 400 gallons a minute from a well in the middle of the state and pays the State of Michigan $200.00?
The state’s bottled water industry is booming. Should Michigan get a cut of the profits?

 

[cruelsister]

I am quite familiar (VERY familiar) with this Foxconn project in Wisconsin. There have been a multitude of absurd arguments attempting to stop/criticize the project- but these have been more politically motivated (anti-Republican no matter what) then Reality Based.

My suggestion is not to read any of these articles unless you want to become intimate at what is involved (and why bother?).

 

[vtqhtr413]

I am not familiar with the Foxconn deal and I hope for Wisconsin's sake that it works out for Foxconn but my vote is no on the water... Industry had their way with the Great Lakes for most of the 19th and 20th century and that didn't go so well. There has to be a price on this water or it will never be considered valuable, for example, any water that is drawn not for human consumption pays ten cents a gallon, then they will be looking for cheaper alternatives, capitalism.

Now in fairness, I wouldn't say that any of the articles are extreme or even far Left, moderate I would say but yes Left. There really isn't a unbias news source out there anymore, not that I can find so I stay with Public radio and tv, the least political IMHO.

You were shooting from the hip out of anger in that post, I'm guilty of that here too but trying to do better in the future. CruelSister, now I see how you came up with that.:emoji_v:

 

[cruelsister]

Hi Bryan! Actually the area that Foxconn will be built is in the Lake Michigan watershed area, so legally they can use as much water as they want (also there have been extensive environmental impact studies done concerning the use, cleaning up, and recycling of the water used by F). Also note that Racine is the Home of SC Johnson (Johnson Wax, Zip Lock Bags, Pledge cleaner, etc), and down the road is Snap-On Tools. God knows how much water these guys use!

I had the pleasure of actually inspecting the site where Foxconn will be built (a greater area than the city of Racine itself). It is currently primarily corn/soybean fields with a large area of wetlands. Now don't get me wrong- I personally think that it is a travesty that ANY wild areas be impacted so. The farm fields are abundant with Sandhill Cranes, and the wetlands are on a migratory pathway. But with technological advance often comes environmental destruction.

I would really, really like to condemn such "progress"- but then I realize that the apartment in Manhattan which I own (in the West Village) formerly was a crop field; my favorite restaurant (for Sunday Dim sum brunch) in Chinatown is where a marsh (wetland) formerly was. So although I may be Cruel, I am no hypocrite.

M

 

[vtqhtr413]

the area that Foxconn will be built is in the Lake Michigan watershed area, so legally they can use as much water as they want

This is the thing that is as of yet not settled, have you herd any inside info? The wetlands are needed but more in the arid states, you could shoot a gun in any direction in Wisconsin or Michigan and you will probably hit one so not an issue. I love Dim Sum.

 

[upnorth]

My suggestion is not to read any of these articles unless you want to become intimate at what is involved (and why bother?).

That is your opinion and I disgree as my suggestion is to read it as reading don't always means intimate involvement as for example it's pretty impossible in my case simply because in what country I live in but as it's still a interesting subject IMO I for once will for sure read it no matter what anyone thinks or feel about it. Thanks for the share @BryanB

 

[vtqhtr413]

The reality is, fresh water will be more and more of an issue in the fairly near future, we have to set some standards, rules, NOW not 30 years from now, the water here will be needed for acute situations and we all will depend on rational minds to get this right.

 

[upnorth]

The reality is, fresh water will be more and more of an issue in the fairly near future, we have to set some standards, rules, NOW not 30 years from now, the water here will be needed for acute situations and we all will depend on rational minds to get this right.

Even in my country thats a debate and especially during summer time when alot of words in the news about preserv is used. I get the feeling it won't get any better and with oil accidents that actually also happens in my country from time to time it ofcourse gets more complicated but most of the accidents here seams to occur from ships instead of inline pipelines.

 

[cruelsister]

This is the thing that is as of yet not settled, have you herd any inside info?

No insider knowledge needed here- the groundbreaking was yesterday (President Trump was in attendance) and every inch of the property is bought and paid for.

UpNorth- I actually do have intimate knowledge of this deal as the Investment Bank I work for (as a Stock Analyst- I no longer have anything to do with software, malware. etc. anymore, Thank God Almighty. We supple oodles and oodles of cash for the deal). The meeting I attended (told to sit down. shut up, and look pretty) in Madison, Wisconsin was attended by Us, Foxconn, Governor Scott Walker, the head of Racine County (I forget the name), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and a few other trivial folk. Here's the poop concerning the water issue- All USA States are made up of Counties. Those Counties in Wisconsin that have actual shoreline on Lake Michigan (like Racine County) are considered watershed areas. and all the populace and Businesses in that county can use up as much water as they want (for a small fee) as they have what was termed vested Rights. Any County NOT having shoreline areas on the lake must pay a tax for using Lake Michigan's water as well as a pipeline fee to those counties through which the pipeline runs (as a sidenote- while I was in Wisconsin, a County- Waukesha- that was within 20 miles of Lake Michigan (and had no shoreline) was told that the fee they had to pay to Milwaukee County (where the pipeline went through) was going to double. Apparently they squealed like Pigs but had to pay up!).

But anyway, although the Foxconn water use was not a real issue, the Wisconsin Dept of natural Resources (DNR) mandated a procedure for any waste water pumped back into the lake be Pristine.

Fun fact- after this meeting I was talking to someone from the DNR that was hitting on me (like, in his Dreams...) and was told that the State of Iowa- rich in farmland but landlocked- wanted a deal to get lake Michigan water in case of drought. Wisconsin told them in place of a deal they should instead pray for Rain and otherwise go Screw Themselves (Gotta Love Wisconsin! The best 10 year Cheddar on Earth and the only cheese Ophelia will eat).