Hold Durbin, Obama, Kirk and Emanuel Accountable

We, the Undersigned, hereby express our displeasure and disapproval with the recent actions and public statements attributed to United States Senators Richard Durbin and Barack Obama, and United States Congressmen Mark Kirk and Rahm Emanuel with regard to BP-Amocoвs Whiting refinery expansion project. We urge voters to hold them responsible for their actions on Election Day.

We are not concerned with the profitability of BP-Amoco. We are rather disturbed that these prominent elected officials have violated the public trust through distortions and lies that have led their constituents to believe that their drinking water is in danger, that the ecology of Lake Michigan is threatened and that the project in question would lead to the discharge of untreated, toxic sludge into the Lake, none of which is true.

We are further alarmed that these elected officials have, by their actions and statements, failed to consider the welfare of the environment on the whole, failed to educate their constituents about the facts of environmental management and have selectively criticized one, small project while ignoring the existence of thousands of similar water treatment processes in the Chicagoland area. They have thus undermined a lawful environmental management process that has been successful in continually improving the quality of our air and water for over 35 years.

We will not forget their behavior on Election Day, and we urge all voters to remember as well.