Editorials
BP should say why it pulled the plug on biofuels
TBO.com
Published: October 28, 2012
Just like the perfect couple we cannot imagine breaking up, the same goes for a big economic development project that shuts down in the 11th hour when everything seemed so rosy. It happened when BP pulled the plug last week on a large biofuel plant planned for southern Highlands County.Published: October 28, 2012
It hurts that BP is walking away from the operation in Highlands County.
A lot was riding on the petroleum giant and a lot of folks had stars in their eyes when considering the dollar impact to the county and region.
Landlords, developers, food service people, hospitality workers and others were bracing for 1,200 construction jobs, 140 farm workers and 70 full-time employees that the ethanol plant would bring. Lykes Brothers invested heavily in planting crops that would be used in the plant.
County officials were scratching their heads after this week's announcement. It appeared as if construction was going to start soon. BP had pulled permits to renovate office space in Lake Placid, and information was being gathered for food services for workers.
Another biofuel plant still is a possibility, but BP's effort looked extra promising after the petroleum giant partnered with another company to make it happen.
After all, with that kind of money and expertise behind it, BP's project looked like it was ready to launch. Then something happened.
In the news release announcing the death of the plant, BP talked about using its money to bolster other projects that will benefit stockholders.
What the corporate giant didn't say is why the Highlands County plant was stopped all of a sudden.
Is the market for biofuel bad? Is the long-term outlook poor? What made BP pull the plug? That's what everyone wants to know.
We needed those jobs and the economic shot in the arm this plant would have brought. The impact in a county like ours would have been huge.
Okay, BP, we get it. You ditched us. But at least tell us why. We need to know if there are factors we can change to make other plants a possibility. It all made so much sense to build it here.