Some environmentalists are unhappy with the allowance of BP to release “significantly more” ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan from its refinery in Whiting.
I suppose a modern industrial society has to make certain sacrifices and something’s gotta give.
However, BP has provided a fact sheet to declare that what they’re doing is perfectly within legal limits. A new water discharge permit allows the refinery’s average ammonia discharge to increase, but at levels that will still be less than half of those that federal environmental guidelines could allow. BP received permission from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be exempt from environmental laws that cap the amount of toxins into the lake. It will be allowed to include in its daily discharges into the lake 54 percent more ammonia (above the current 1,584 pounds) and 35 percent more sludge (above the current 4,925 pounds).
By adhering to state and federal laws, regulations, and guidelines, human and aquatic life are protected, causing no harm to people and the environment. Lake Michigan isn’t exactly being sacrificed, though. Despite the increases in discharges, BP will remain within federal pollution guidelines, and both federal and state environmental authorities have reviewed the company’s plans. As part of the exemption deal, BP will build a new diffuser apparatus that will reduce the concentration of pollutants in the water by mixing them with clean water 200 feet from the shore.
The refinery today has about 1,700 employees and another 1,500 contract workers. The planned modernization will create new jobs for about 2,000 contract workers during peak construction, as well as an estimated 80 full-time BP employees when complete.
