Indiana Media Question BP Pollution Permit

Major Indiana media are not buying the bogus jobs-creation and-environmental protection arguments put forth by state officials and British Petroleum to justify the higher amounts of pollutants BP will be allowed to dump into Lake Michigan.

Still nothing in objection from Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources, while Wisconsin and Illinois lakefront Mayors, and the US House of Representatives are loudly saying "no."

The more I think about it, the more my years in city governments and other years covering government for news media tells me that a deal has been cut - - echoing the deal that got made towards the end of the Great Lakes Compact negotiations in 2005 that came up with new categories of communities and counties beyond the Great Lakes basin which would qualify for Great Lakes diversions:

This deal:

Wisconsin says nothing negative about Indiana's actions on behalf of BP, and Indiana says nothing negative about Wisconsin's actions on behalf of Waukesha communities seeking Lake Michigan diversions.

Neither state accuses the other of hypocrisy, or of piling on, and if others object, well, so be it. As deal-making goes, it's pretty standard.

And, hey, if I'm wrong, fine. I'd love to be wrong as can be. Just show me.