Straight Talk PR .com

It's Okay. U.S. Steel Didn't Expect an Invite to Al Gore's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

Today is the day former U.S. Vice President Al Gore accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, for his work to alert the world to the dangers of global warming.

Yesterday, the Chicago Tribune carried a report about three heavy-duty polluters on Chicago's doorstep in Northwest Indiana -- and on the shores of Lake Michigan, too. The three facilities are U.S. Steel Gary Works, Mittal Steel USA Indiana Harbor West (East Chicago), and BP Products North America Whiting.

Two of the companies took the not-entirely-welcome-but-documented environmental reporting by the newspaper in stride. But the third company seems to have a wee victim complex, seeing the Tribune as a persecutor, to wit:

In response to questions, BP and Mittal said they have steadily reduced pollution from their facilities. U.S. Steel spokesman John Armstrong sent a one-sentence e-mail declining comment and accusing the Tribune of "malicious misreporting and journalistic terrorism."

You know, "denial" is a river in Egypt, and all that jazz.

(cross-posted to Those "I" States)

Hoosiers Consider Windfarms; Community Relations Looks Like a Problem

Hands down, my favorite form of electricity production is going to get a shot at making power in Indiana.

The Indianappolis Star reports today that two California firms, Orion Energy LLC and enXco, Inc., are proposing wind farm projects in Benton County, northwest of Lafayette. (Benton County is highlighted in the Indiana map at right.) It is reportedly one of the two windiest areas of the state.

The other windy area is just northwest of Indianapolis.

The Star says a community-relations battle is brewing, which is to be expected but is unfortunate. Unnamed critics are reportedly concerned unsightly windmills, reduced property values, and a large number of bird kills.

Having driven through southern Alberta in Canada, I can say that prairie wind farms are attractive and hardly classify as visual blight. In fact, in my opinion, there's a certain appeal to them. I can think of a lot more developments that would lower property values.

[Cross posted to NIMBY Monitor.]