Charm wins the depot a second try
Three executives with BNSF Railway Co. came calling here Thursday. The railroad’s Hauser refueling depot is open again. It sits above the Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. The officials arrived with promises that the aquifer is safe now.
Before our editorial board meeting with the BNSF guys, I reread all the statements their officials made five years ago when they promised the community that the proposed refueling depot would never leak into the aquifer. It did anyway.
The BNSF guys talked technology Thursday. They talked pipes, liners and construction devices called “boots.” I finally interrupted and said all the tech talk doesn’t get to the emotional issue here. People feel angry and betrayed.
The situation reminded me of those boyfriends or girlfriends, the charming ones, who promise you everything. Then they just aren’t there for you in any real way. So you dump them. And suddenly they come crawling back, filled with promises.
On May 5, 2000, Matt Rose, BNSF’s president and CEO, said, “I pledge to you personally that we will construct and operate our facility in an exemplary manner, ever mindful of the importance of the ground water resources.”
I also found some archival quotes from people who reminded me of the friends who warn you not to rush so fast into a relationship with that charming boyfriend or girlfriend.
Ken Lustig, the now-retired Panhandle Health District aquifer expert, said this in June 1999: “There is no assurance that it will be operated in a safe manner. All degradation occurs in small, incremental amounts. It’s rarely some catastrophic thing. Sometimes it’s permissible leakage over long periods of time. As my sainted grandmother used to say, ‘Many drops of water make up the mighty seas.’ “
The depot’s grand opening took place Aug. 31, 2004. Three months later, the first leak was reported. Then, there was the second leak. Then it was closed down. Major repairs were made. The depot reopened Monday.
To be fair to the three BNSF men, the $10 million in repairs look impressive, boots and all. I was also impressed the men arrived at the meeting sans public relations pros from outside the company. They didn’t dodge our tough questions. But they wouldn’t commit to closing down the depot if it leaks again and contaminates the aquifer. They said they don’t answer hypothetical questions.
One of our board members wouldn’t let them whine about the other companies that leak stuff over the aquifer and never get in trouble. When you’re listening to your crawling-back-into-your-life boyfriend or girlfriend, it doesn’t matter that other boyfriends/girlfriends do worse stuff to their squeezes.
We asked for some promises – again – that the depot won’t screw up the aquifer, source of our drinking water.
Here is what the BNSF execs said:
Gus Melonas, media relations director: “We are certainly aware of this valuable natural resource. We are committed, from the president of our company to the people who are working on site. If they see something abnormal, they are empowered to take the necessary safe course of action.”
Mark Stehly, assistant vice president for environment and research development: “With enhancements that we’ve got, the aquifer is safe. All our people are very much trained. They live over the aquifer. They drink the water in the aquifer. They are very aware of their behaviors and how it might affect the aquifer.”
Steve Millsap, assistant vice president for structures: “I’m embarrassed, I truly am. We did promise. I am very, very sorry, but at the same time, the system worked. It was through our inspections that we did find the problem. Now we have a much improved system. We reported the problem ourselves. That says something about who we are and our commitment to the community and to the aquifer.”
Clip and save these words. These are the BNSF promises. If they’re broken again, that’s it.