John Oliver Billboard To North Dakotans: ‘Be Angry’ About Oil Industry

So we’ve all heard about it: North Dakota is in the midst of a massive oil boom that’s ignited the state’s economy, created thousands of jobs and transformed the prairie state from a national punchline to… a slightly less amusing national punchline.

But “like Channing Tatum, North Dakota suddenly turned out to be much more interesting covered in oil”, the HBO show host joked.

It’s time for North Dakotans to cast off that Midwestern politeness and “be angry” at major oil companies that dodge accountability for workers’ deaths and toxic spills, comedian John Oliver said on Sunday’s “Last Week Tonight”.

Farm land has been ruined with the lack of environmental regulations on the companies.

“A death every six weeks is what you do to keep your soap opera on the air, “Oliver explained”.

Forty-seven percent of Bakken crude was transported by rail in August, compared with 45 percent transported by pipeline, said Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority.

It is a stellar recipe for disaster, thus Oliver is offering North Dakota a few stern advice: Stop being polite. I get it. You’re friendly and that’s fantastic. “But this has gone too far”.

No matter what, the oil companies rarely pay for their mistakes.

“He’s making North Dakota sound like a magical pro-business utopia”, Oliver quipped (via Salon)”.