Reader comments
Views on Kennecott run gamut

I grew up in Magna. It's been a number of years since I've been back; but I can say that when I was growing up there in the 70s and 80s, Kennecott was a proactive and positive member of our community. They were always very involved in efforts to provide for the children and schools in Magna and the surrounding area. And they were always heavily involved in any effort to improve Magna.

I have never worked for Kennecott. No one in my family has ever worked for Kennecott. I have no financial interest in their success or failure. But I have always had tremendous respect for their involvement in my town.

Having said that, my favorite quote from the article was, "You can't trust them--they're a major corporation!" And we all know that corporations are the root of all evil. ;)

I also grew up in Magna and they did NOT provide much for the children and schools in Magna. They just paid lip service, giving $500 scholarships to 2 high school students and the like. A company that's making as much money as Kennecott is by raping the land around Magna could certainly contribute more back to the community than they do.

It's called sleight of hand, buddy. Make you look at one hand so you don't notice what the other is doing. Like providing a few scholarships while you are buying up houses, not so that you can save the lives of the people, no, so you can reduce your liablility in the event the dike gives way and people are KILLED.

In fact, they bought the houses and RENTED THEM OUT. Why would they do that? Perhaps because they were trying to acquire them more cheaply than if the courts required them to buy them and pay damages if they'd been found out. They didn't even care enough about human life to leave them vacant.

What Kennecott did, what Frank Joklik did, is indefensible -- even their current management doesn't try and defend it.

There have been plenty of hard times in the past with Kennecott and Magna. I have lived in Magna for over 40 years, I had family (both who supported Kennecott and those who didn't) work for them. This was many years ago. I am an employee of Rio Tinto and I can say, with complete confidence, that if Kennecott Utah Copper, under the direction of Andrew Harding, say they will have an independent investigation to determine the extent then and now of this cover-up I believe them! BTW, Kennecott is very committeed to community service (a lot of it is through company volunteer work). They are also very committeed to sustainable development within the Utah communities, My health and the health and safety of my family mean the world to me and if I didn't think that KUC or KLC really cared, I'd be the first one out the door. Just as we are not responsible for the actions of our ancestors, neither is the KUCKLC of today responsible for theirs. It's refreshing to see them take the blame; however, and do whatever necessary to make amends and find the truth.