Declarations

A Moving Target

“It seems to be a moving target. I think the important part of this is (the settlement has been reached), and where will the money eventually end up and who will have the eventual say on where it goes.”

—Dauphin Island, Ala., Mayor Jeff Collier, comments on the potential BP oil spill settlement dollars Alabama will receive. The settlement was announced on July 2. Alabama’s governor has said the state would receive $2.3 billion of the settlement, but that amount has been questioned.

Climate Museum

“Our point is to get people active and engaged on climate in a way that recognizes that if we come together we can solve the problem.”

—Miranda Massie, executive director of the Climate Museum Launch Project, on the group’s effort to build a museum in New York City devoted to climate change. The project got a boost on July 20 when the New York Board of Regents approved a provisional charter for the museum.

Uber Safe

“Uber’s innovative technology allows it to focus on safety for riders and driver-partners before, during and after a ride in a way most alternatives cannot.”

—Kristin Carvell, a spokeswoman for Uber, disagreed with a decision in July by U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco in which he declined to dismiss a lawsuit over the rideshare company’s claims to being safer than taxis.

A Primary Role

“Insurance companies’ primary role, we think, should be to help us. If we pay premiums through a certain number of years and something happens like what happened here, then our insurance company should step up and give us what we think we paid for. … Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.”

—Scott Swier of the Swier Law Firm in Avon, S.D. Swier is offering free insurance analysis to residents of Delmont, S.D., which was devastated by a tornado on May 10.

Seismic Cooperation

“Reducing seismic activity requires a cooperative effort.”

—Gov. Mary Fallin on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s decision to place more than 200 oil and natural gas wastewater disposal wells under scrutiny. The state is recording an average of 2.5 magnitude 3 or greater earthquakes each day. An Oklahoma Geological Survey report said it is “very likely” most of them are being triggered by the subsurface injection of wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations.