Indiana and BP
The Governor of Indiana may be regretting his decision to allow BP to increase the amount of pollution it discharges into Lake Michigan, he has now ordered a review of state laws covering Great Lakes water quality and permits.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management granted BP’s Whiting Refinery east of Chicago to increase the amount of ammonia it dumps into the lake by 54% and the amount of suspended solids by 35%. The review will be led by James Barnes, the former dean of Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Barnes, is scheduled to begin work next week and had been asked to complete it within six weeks.
Barnes is to review federal and state laws concerning Great Lakes water quality and permitting, including assessment of whether the laws sufficiently protect the Great Lakes system. Assess IDEM’s actions to implement those laws in BP’s permit, both regarding discharge limits and requirements for monitoring, testing and assessment. Finally, he will evaluate the impact of BP’s proposed discharge on Lake Michigan’s quality and uses as a source of drinking water, recreation and aquatic life.
August 15, 2007 12:43 PM | Category: Lake Michigan