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Despite our best efforts, it appears that sometimes we load a pistol, hand it to the opposition and just invite those persons to take action.

Last month, there was an oil pipeline spill in a residential district in Arkansas. With all of the efforts being expended to construct new pipelines it would seem that those who are in the business would spend extra effort and energy to ensure that the work meets all standards – even those that might be a bit unreasonable. This case involved a discharge of anywhere between 5,000 and 19,000 barrels of oil (depending on whom you talk to).

As an industry, we all take a beating when these kinds of things happen. There are those of us who are out there supporting new projects and looking for opportunities to put the engineers and crafts back on the payrolls. We extend ourselves and construct arguments to support these kinds of projects.

And then this happens. You really want to just throw up your arms. There needs to be a fundamental shift somewhere to get the attention of those folks who are putting experts on the line on a daily basis.

Perhaps the horizon or the return is too near term. Thinking long term has not yet paid the dividends that it must. But instilling long-term thinking is essential if we’re to continue to be an economic powerhouse. We cannot just think for the here and now and for ourselves. We must think ahead to the next generation.

Some people may argue that these kinds of projects simply should not be built at all. However, it is necessary to transition to new technologies; and it is important that the public is brought along in incremental steps. Incremental steps will get us there before we know it.

But while we’re in the “getting there” mode, we have to take our existing technology and put it to work for us. Not only do we have to put it to work for us but we have to do it in the best possible way. Quality control has always and will always remain the most important criteria of any project.

After all, on this project we don’t know if it came in under budget or came in early. But what we do know is that the pipe leaked. Twenty-two homes had to be evacuated, and there was an expensive cleanup that never should have been required.

Christian Steinbrecher is president of Ukiah Engineering Inc., a senior consultant at Capital Project Consultants and president of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Oregon section. Contact him at [email protected].