Campaign to stop BP plant from dumping into lake

July 18, 2007 (WLS) -- The BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, has been given the green light to dump more waste water and potential contaminants into Lake Michigan. But the plan has environmentalists, lawmakers and the City of Chicago waging a campaign to stop it.

State and federal environmental officials say an increase in waste from the refinery will not further pollute Lake Michigan. But Mayor Daley is among those who disagree and the city is launching a petition drive to stop it.

BP Amoco is about to begin a multi-billion dollar expansion of its gigantic Whiting refinery to handle the processing of more heavy Canadian crude oil, which means more local jobs and more energy independence. But it also means that more potential contaminants may eventually be discharged into Lake Michigan Under a new permit issued by Indiana environmental officials, with the approval of the federal EPA, and that's prompting a giant backlash in Illinois.

The new permit allows BP Amoco to discharge hundreds of additional tons of ammonia and impure waste water into Lake Michigan every year to accommodate a major expansion of the Whiting refinery to process heavier Canadian crude oil beginning in 2011. But Illinois congressmen and senators are asking federal environmental officials and BP Amoco's CEO to cancel the expanded discharge plan.

A petition drive is being launched in Chicago this weekend to involve beachgoers in the protest.

"Mark Twain said whiskey is for drinking and water is worth fighting for. We're going to fight for our water in Lake Michigan and protect it from this day on," said Lt. Governor Pat Quinn.

"That is our drinking water. That is our economic development, that is our recreation. We cannot destroy the Great Lakes," said Mayor Richard Daley.

BP Amoco says the treated water is clean enough now for their fish tank and the overall expansion plan includes a $150 million upgrade of the water treatment facility. So the sludge from the refining process is transformed into water that won't contaminate or pollute the lake, especially when the additional ammonia and particulated water only represents a tiny fraction of the 20 million gallons of treated liquid that is discharged annually.

"It's everyone's job in this room, the people that you see around this room, to work to protect the environment, and that's what we do," said Joe Morrison, BP Amoco.

"If it's just particulates like you get in your drinking water, I would be interested to see any of those executives drinking that water," said Sadhu Johnston, Chicago environmental commissioner.

"We have actually had people drink this. Our mission is to make sure that we protect Lake Michigan on a daily basis," Morrison said.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management held public hearings before the permit was issued. They claim to be as committed to keeping Lake Michigan clean as anyone else, and they say the higher discharge levels are still well below federal standards, but Illinois politicians are going all out to stop the expansion, and that may include a lawsuit, even though BP Amoco says they won't take advantage of the expanded discharge levels until 2010.

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