British Petroleum--Advertising Green, Polluting as Usual
Pollution Fight Pits Illinois vs. BP, Indiana Upgrade of Oil Refinery Would Discharge More Pollutants Into Lake Michigan
By Kari Lydersen Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, August 23, 2007; A11
WHITING, Ind. -- A proposal to allow BP to greatly increase the amount of pollutants it discharges into Lake Michigan from its refinery here has prompted a bitter war of words between officials in Illinois and Indiana.
Illinois officials have accused their neighbors to the east of fouling the lake, which has grown steadily cleaner in recent years. Indiana officials say the planned discharge is within the federal limits and accuse their Illinois brethren of grandstanding.
At issue is a plan by BP to upgrade its oil refinery in northwest Indiana to increase the amount of heavy crude oil from the Canadian province of Alberta that it can refine at its Whiting plant. To help, state regulators have granted the company a permit allowing it to dump 50 percent more ammonia and 35 percent more suspen…