When I was growing up, at home my mistakes were met with extra chores, loss of privileges or grounding. At school, I had to write letters of apology or, as I got older, face detention. These boundaries set by adults help children grow and learn valuable lessons, although sometimes they are misapplied.
Zenith Energy, a Texas-based corporation, has been the receiver of first-grade punishments for a long history of dishonesty and harm. They operate fossil fuel facilities that transport and store liquid fuels. Their facility in Northwest Portland, adjacent to the Willamette River, spans six miles of tank farms where 90 percent of Oregon’s fuel is stored. This facility sits on a liquefaction zone, meaning that in an earthquake, the soil would turn into the consistency of cake batter.
Zenith Energy has a history of opacity in a world that needs transparency. They’ve lied to city officials and the Department of Energy, violated permits and procedures and withheld information from the public. Each time their dishonesty is exposed, they’re made to write a letter of apology, promising to do better.
Should the punishment for a lying corporation be the same as for a child? I think not.
