Voice of the People

I often see magazine and TV propaganda from BP about how green their company is. If they are so green, they should show it in northwest Indiana by diverting some of the funds from their multi-million dollar ad campaign into making their new $3 billion plant as environmentally friendly as they claim to be.

I have not heard anyone (in spite of our governor’s assertions) say that BP should not build their new plant, which would increase our nation’s oil supplies and provide jobs. What people are calling for is a clean plant - no increase of certain pollutants by 35-55%. Legal or not, these discharges will damage the Lake’s ecosystem and directly conflict with Indiana’s anti-degradation policies for protecting Lake Michigan.

Mr. Easterly, Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management Commissioner, tells us the firestorm surrounding BP’s permit has done “damage” throughout northwest Indiana. Other companies are halting their permit application processes because they don’t want to go through similar criticism.

How is this damage? Industry in northwest Indiana inflicted 50-75 years of unbridled pollution on our air, land, and water until the 1960s.

Today, water permits are supposed to be reviewed by IDEM every five years. BP’s permit had not been reviewed since 1989. Most other lakefront industries still haven't been.

Maybe the “damage” is a more informed, proactive public no longer willing to be dumped on by industry.

It’s a shame that BP’s permit was not dissected in the media prior to its issuance. But the public is engaged now, and I hope the “damage” will be more media coverage and public scrutiny of industrial discharges permits - during their review.

I’m not asking BP to shut down, but to use the latest technology in pollution controls just as they plan to use the latest in production methods.

Thomas C. Serynek

Posted 7/31/2007