We all know that the Koch brothers are seriously bad news, having built their fortune on super-dirty tar sands oil, spent millions of dollars to promote dirty energy while trashing clean energy and the environment, and funded a variety of fossil-fuel front groups like this one. Now comes a new report which details the "job loss, significant environmental damage, or both, at the hands of the Kochs' business empire" in key states across America. For instance:
- Iowa: "1981: Koch Pipeline Ruptured, Dumped 900,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil In Eastern Polk County, Near The Des Moines River; Cleanup Costs Exceeded $250,000"
- Kentucky: "Coal Mining Operation Was Sued For Destroying Homes"
- Michigan: "Koch Carbon Vendor “Detroit Bulk Storage” Dumped Petroleum Byproduct Called 'Petroleum Coke' Along Detroit Waterfront"
- Minnesota: "2006 Oil Spill Was Fourth Largest Oil Spill In Minnesota Within The Previous Decade"
- West Virginia: "Freedom Industries Leaked The Chemical Crude MCHM, Consisting Mostly Of 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, Into West Virginia’s Elk River." Also worth noting on this item: "In 2008, Freedom Industries secured a contract to distribute a line of products called Talon that are used as a binder in coal processing, according to a news release issued at the time. Freedom distributed Talon to eight states, including West Virginia. … Talon is made by Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC. Georgia-Pacific is owned by the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch. The Koch brothers have, through a conservative group called Americans for Prosperity, spent millions of dollars campaigning against a wide array of environmental regulations."
On and on it goes in states across America -- damage by Koch Industries and its subsidiaries. All while receiving bailouts and taxpayer subsidies. The question is, why do we put up with this?
