Oil field yields rewards

In a Dec. 7 Roundtable, the authors say Spokane would get all the risk and none of the reward from trains carrying North Dakota Bakken oil through the city. Actually, there are many Spokane residents who were paid royalties on some of that oil. They are descendants of North Dakota farmers who inherited mineral rights in the land. Those payments are deposited in Spokane banks, and the money is spent in the local economy.

The authors also imply working in the oil fields is not a real job. Tell that to the many Washingtonians working in the Bakken and bringing their paychecks back here. I guess the authors don’t think the lower gas prices Spokane drivers are seeing is a benefit either.

By the logic of these oil train opponents, we should ban vehicle traffic on freeways too, because there may be accidents and people will die. Instead of starting with the “can’t do” attitude of an oil train ban, how about we think “can do” and find a way to minimize hazards?

Robert Hoff

Spokane