Monday, May 19, 2008

What's Wrong with Hyperion -- From Z to A

I don't know if we have any Union county voters out there -- I live in Clay county, so even though my way of life will be just as altered by Hyperion as someone who lives in Elk Point, I don't get a say in this issue. But for those of you who do, a local woman has put together a really concise explanation of the problems with Hyperion, from Z to A.

One that really resonated with me (and which I've discussed with a number of people over the last few weeks) is the Sioux City Journal's finding that 38% of young people aged 18-24 years said they would consider moving if a refinery is built, and 29% aged 25-34 said they would consider moving (obviously this doesn't even take into account the younger people that might've moved back but not won't). The fact is, if someone wants to be near lots of shopping and make tons of money, there are plenty of cities and suburbs and sprawling areas of this country to do that. But if someone wants to start a family in the unspoiled area like where they grew up, their choices are dwindling. Most of us who have chosen to live here (and in the case of my husband and I, chosen to return to this area) have done so because we want the kind of quality of life that this area provides. And like many of those surveyed by the Journal, if we can't get that here, we'll have to go elsewhere.

3 comments:

Cory said...

There are other reasons some may move out of the area. Right now wages match the cost of living. With the demand on the housing market prices will rise, but I would bet that wages will not follow. Some of us that are doing fine right now may see our rent price us right out of a place to live.
And what kind of effects will this have on USD student housing?

Lucretia Love said...

Add to Hyperion, TransCanada, Keystone, huge uranium mining plans, factory hog farming in Charles-Mix at the barrels of trooper guns (yeah, yeah, I know, those Indians are so darned scary even when they aren't armed)and Big Stone II yet another enormous hog confinement in Campbell County right next to, of course! the Missouri River. Mmm mmm that water's gonna be tasty by the time it reaches Sioux Falls via the Lewis and Clark pipeline.

Read this recent report from the Pew Commission at this link and tell me factory hog farms are good for South Dakota:
http://www.ncifap.org/reports/

Clinton's touting our ability to generate a green-job economy. Where are Obama and Rounds?

Kelsey said...

Having heard both Clinton and Obama's speeches about SD, I can tell you -- their green economy spiels are basically identical. Which is good!