Poll: Geographical divide clear cut
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, May 04, 2008
His stance puts him among the minority of people living in rural central Union County, a Journal poll shows, but Bob Britt of Burbank, S.D., supports the decision to rezone land four miles from his home to help pave the way for an oil refinery.
The direct-talking Britt, 73, knows about living in proximity to an oil refinery. He lived until age 27 near one in El Segundo, Calif. In fact, he said, there were about five refineries in the California coastal towns near where he lived.
"I never had any problem with them. ... As far as the pollution and all that baloney, I never noticed it. I lived through it, I'm still healthy," Britt said. "I'm 73 years old, so it sure as hell didn't kill me."
A Sioux City Journal poll of 340 Union County registered voters, conducted by Product Systems Inc., an Alexandria, Va., marketing and survey research firm, revealed a considerable geographical split in opinion toward the oil refinery proposed by Hyperion Resources of Dallas, Texas.
With an estimated price tag of $9 billion to $10 billion, Hyperion's touted "green" energy center would be the second-largest investment in U.S. history, trailing only Boston's Big Dig. To put it in a local perspective, the energy center would be more than 20 times larger than Siouxland's single most-expensive capital investment -- BPI's $400 million expansion of its South Sioux City complex.
Those living in precincts closest to the 3,292 acres near Elk Point where the plant would be built oppose it, and in some of those precincts the numbers aren't even close.
However, those living in incorporated areas of the county -- especially those living 20 or more miles to the south in the upscale Dakota Dunes, North Sioux City, McCook Lake and Jefferson -- support bringing in the refinery that could employ as many as 10,000 during construction and as many as 1,850 upon completion.
Sixty-one percent of urban county residents polled said they will vote yes or are leaning to voting yes on a June 3 rezoning proposal to enable Hyperion to be built. Twenty-six percent of those voters said they would vote no or were leaning toward voting no.
Among voters living in precincts 3,4,5 and 7 who were polled, 41 percent said they would vote no, while 36 percent said they would vote for the rezoning. In some of those precincts, there was little to no support for the proposal.
Zeroing in on the three precincts closest to the plant, the poll found profound opposition to having Hyperion in the neighborhood.
Only one out of 14 persons living in Precincts 3 and 4 to the northeast and east of the proposed plant indicated they will vote for the rezoning ordinance, while in Precinct 7 where the refinery would be built, 53 percent of respondents said they would not vote for the rezoning.
In Dakota Dunes, 60 percent of those polled said they'll vote for the rezoning ordinance, while 19 percent indicated they would vote no. The totals were similar in McCook Lake, where the for/against breakdown was 64 percent and 14 percent.
The south edge of Kevin Kelley's rural Elk Point property would abut the north edge of the Hyperion plant's industrial transition zone. Kelley opposes the plant and said Union County residents who don't live in the plant's proposed vicinity haven't educated themselves well on the environmental effects of the plant.
Kelley said if the plant has an explosion, "nobody lives far enough away," but people don't factor that in when supporting Hyperion for economic reasons.
Tommy Merriman, 24, of Beresford is leaning toward voting to rezone to enable the plant placement. He acknowledged the issue is breaking down on rural and urban lines. Merriman said a review of pro- and anti-Hyperion signs in the county shows a lot of support in the town of Beresford, while out in the country it's rare to see a sign supportive of Hyperion.
As for Burbank's Britt, he said he "doesn't particularly support" the plant, but he'll vote for it. He said the plant will drastically change the quiet rural way of life near Burbank, and he's more concerned about that than any health or environmental factors.
"You jam all of them into one place like this, and it's not going to be comfortable living," Britt said.
Yet he'll support the plant purely for economic reasons. Britt said the average age of most residents living near the plant is in the 60s or 70s.
"Our kids are all out of here, we've got no place for the kids to go to work. This is why I'm for it," Britt said. "100 percent for the economic. The style of living -- no, I'm dead against it."
Britt said it's unfortunate that the Hyperion proposal has divided Union County.
"There have been arguments by neighbors who were born next to each other," Britt said.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
The direct-talking Britt, 73, knows about living in proximity to an oil refinery. He lived until age 27 near one in El Segundo, Calif. In fact, he said, there were about five refineries in the California coastal towns near where he lived.
"I never had any problem with them. ... As far as the pollution and all that baloney, I never noticed it. I lived through it, I'm still healthy," Britt said. "I'm 73 years old, so it sure as hell didn't kill me."
A Sioux City Journal poll of 340 Union County registered voters, conducted by Product Systems Inc., an Alexandria, Va., marketing and survey research firm, revealed a considerable geographical split in opinion toward the oil refinery proposed by Hyperion Resources of Dallas, Texas.
With an estimated price tag of $9 billion to $10 billion, Hyperion's touted "green" energy center would be the second-largest investment in U.S. history, trailing only Boston's Big Dig. To put it in a local perspective, the energy center would be more than 20 times larger than Siouxland's single most-expensive capital investment -- BPI's $400 million expansion of its South Sioux City complex.
Those living in precincts closest to the 3,292 acres near Elk Point where the plant would be built oppose it, and in some of those precincts the numbers aren't even close.
However, those living in incorporated areas of the county -- especially those living 20 or more miles to the south in the upscale Dakota Dunes, North Sioux City, McCook Lake and Jefferson -- support bringing in the refinery that could employ as many as 10,000 during construction and as many as 1,850 upon completion.
Sixty-one percent of urban county residents polled said they will vote yes or are leaning to voting yes on a June 3 rezoning proposal to enable Hyperion to be built. Twenty-six percent of those voters said they would vote no or were leaning toward voting no.
Among voters living in precincts 3,4,5 and 7 who were polled, 41 percent said they would vote no, while 36 percent said they would vote for the rezoning. In some of those precincts, there was little to no support for the proposal.
Zeroing in on the three precincts closest to the plant, the poll found profound opposition to having Hyperion in the neighborhood.
Only one out of 14 persons living in Precincts 3 and 4 to the northeast and east of the proposed plant indicated they will vote for the rezoning ordinance, while in Precinct 7 where the refinery would be built, 53 percent of respondents said they would not vote for the rezoning.
In Dakota Dunes, 60 percent of those polled said they'll vote for the rezoning ordinance, while 19 percent indicated they would vote no. The totals were similar in McCook Lake, where the for/against breakdown was 64 percent and 14 percent.
The south edge of Kevin Kelley's rural Elk Point property would abut the north edge of the Hyperion plant's industrial transition zone. Kelley opposes the plant and said Union County residents who don't live in the plant's proposed vicinity haven't educated themselves well on the environmental effects of the plant.
Kelley said if the plant has an explosion, "nobody lives far enough away," but people don't factor that in when supporting Hyperion for economic reasons.
Tommy Merriman, 24, of Beresford is leaning toward voting to rezone to enable the plant placement. He acknowledged the issue is breaking down on rural and urban lines. Merriman said a review of pro- and anti-Hyperion signs in the county shows a lot of support in the town of Beresford, while out in the country it's rare to see a sign supportive of Hyperion.
As for Burbank's Britt, he said he "doesn't particularly support" the plant, but he'll vote for it. He said the plant will drastically change the quiet rural way of life near Burbank, and he's more concerned about that than any health or environmental factors.
"You jam all of them into one place like this, and it's not going to be comfortable living," Britt said.
Yet he'll support the plant purely for economic reasons. Britt said the average age of most residents living near the plant is in the 60s or 70s.
"Our kids are all out of here, we've got no place for the kids to go to work. This is why I'm for it," Britt said. "100 percent for the economic. The style of living -- no, I'm dead against it."
Britt said it's unfortunate that the Hyperion proposal has divided Union County.
"There have been arguments by neighbors who were born next to each other," Britt said.
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712) 293.4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com
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Protect our Family wrote on May 6, 2008 9:51 AM:
being a doctor, dentist, chiropractor,
lawyer, banker, furniture store, food vendor or any other type of business.
The difference is that they live with the business. With the grains and livestock they provide to feed the world. With their children and pets.
Farms create Economic Development just like any other enterprise. If the farms didn't flourish neither would the cities or towns. Think Beef and Chicken, Farm Machines, and allied business. So why pollute them with this type of industry in their neighborhood? "
Vote No Hyperion wrote on May 5, 2008 10:57 PM:
Interesting how so many in that area don't want a bike path nor an RV park because of the "trash" & traiffic it will bring to their backyards, but feel that the "trash" & "traffic" to rural Elk Point is a good thing. Please do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Please help us protect what we have today and Vote No! I'm certain you wouldn't want to have your "life" pulled out from underneath you like Hyperion's doing to "us". They've lied from the beginning - please don't put your trust in Hyperion. You will regret it.
"
Pollution mile circle. wrote on May 5, 2008 10:03 AM:
California, till he was 27 years old, I think his wife was from this area and he fell in love with the rural area and they moved here. He was able to enjoy a healthy clean life here in the rural neighborhood where he opened a welding business.
Beresford, is at higher elevation and will really be getting the fumes from a s s/w wind. Down Wind residents check out INVERSION LAYER, on Google.
Richland Refinery, home pollution study. Check out elkpointgorilla.com "
Union County Resident wrote on May 5, 2008 1:17 AM:
DakotaCowboy wrote on May 4, 2008 7:33 AM:
Did they evaporate or just fall down?
This will be a plus for more than just Union County. Vote For the refinery. "