Declarations

Uncharted Territory

“Losing the qualification to self-bond and turning to the corporate surety market is uncharted territory.”

—Robert Duke, chief counsel for the Surety & Fidelity Association of America, said it’s difficult for cash-strapped Wyoming mining companies to acquire surety bonds or offer collateral to backstop current reclamation obligations.

Not Worth It

“We don’t think that one Port-A-Potty is worth $32,000.”

—Attorney Myles Holbrook, in response to a lawsuit filed by rental equipment company Emergency Disaster Services against Morgan County, Ky. The nearly $1 million lawsuit claims the county has yet to pay its bill for equipment rented from EDS following a 2012 tornado. Officials in Morgan County say the original deal was “questionable” and accuses EDS of price-gouging. Morgan County’s insurance company — Underwriters Safety & Claims of Louisville — is also disputing the costs.

Negative Territory

“Job growth in Oklahoma and North Dakota, two energy-producing states, has moved into negative territory.”

—Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees a survey of the Midwest economy, says slower economic growth is likely through the end of the third quarter this year for nine Midwestern and Plains states. In addition to energy, firms linked to agriculture are also experiencing a drop in economic activity, Goss says.

Starting Over

“It’s giving residents the opportunity to start their lives over again.”

—New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on the post-Superstorm Sandy buyout initiative called the Blue Acres program. Christie said during a May 27 news conference that more than 300 homes have now been acquired by the state under this program. The two-year-old program seeks to buy homes from willing sellers in areas that have been plagued by flooding and return the land to open spaces.

Guns and Stress

“I have concerns about introducing guns into a university environment already fraught with stress.”

—Texas Sen. Jose Rodriguez, an El Paso Democrat, who voted against a bill passed by the state Legislature that allows concealed handguns on public college campuses. The Senate Republican majority approved the “campus carry” bill.