Iowa DNR’s Leopold looking out for Iowans

Iowans should thank Director Richard Leopold of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for insisting that our state BE protected from pollution that would be emitted by the proposed Hyperion oil refinery. If built in southeast South Dakota, very near Iowa, this huge oil refinery will release more than 7,000 tons of pollution every year, including, cancer-causing pollutants.

The State of South Dakota issued an air permit for the Hyperion proposal, but according to Leopold, the federal EPA and the National Park Service, this permit is weak and insufficient.

State Rep. Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha recently asked Gov. Culver to silence Mr. Leopold. Haven't we recently learned enough to be skeptical about Big Oil and oil promoters? Haven't we learned enough to understand the value of reasonable and appropriate protections regarding pollution, public health and the environment? Yet, Paulsen suggests allowing Hyperion to proceed with minimal critical analysis. It's one thing to advocate for jobs and economic activity, but it's another to narrowly do so without considering the range of public health implications.

Director Leopold is doing the wise thing: Proceeding with caution.

Pam Mackey-Taylor

Chair, Energy

Committee

Iowa Chapter, Sierra Club