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The BP Saga Continues

Background:

Activists seek more study time
February 7, 2008
By Gitte Laasby, Post-Tribune staff writer

CHICAGO -- Several environmental groups are expected to ask for an extension to comment on BP Whiting's proposed air permit. They say the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has not provided sufficient information to comment and takes months to respond to public information requests.

"We have sent such a letter. A bunch of groups, I expect to do the same thing," said Ann Alexander, attorney with the Natural Resource Defense Council. "We made the point in the letter that, we've been through it before, the problem with the permit was that the public was not given all the information they needed. We can do it differently this time."

Alexander said other organizations have waited for public information from IDEM for months.

Environmentalists also find it hard to go through the 1,351-page permit by the March 8 deadline to comment and decipher what increases or decreases.

BP has released these numbers for which pollutants are expected to go up:

 Lead: 25 percent (307 pounds in 2006; 384 pounds in 2011)

 Particulate matter (PM10): 21 percent (544 tons in 2006; 658 tons in 2011)

 Sulfur dioxide: 20 percent (1,073 tons in 2006; 1,284 tons in 2011)

These are expected to go down:

 Nitrogen oxides: 22 percent (3,922 tons in 2006; 3,072 tons in 2011)

 Carbon monoxide: 4 percent (2,211 tons in 2006; 2,127 tons in 2011)

 Volatile organic compounds: 2 percent (1,179 tons in 2006; 1,159 tons in 2011)

 Mercury: The same or slightly less (28 pounds in 2006)
 

Emission increase expected

February 7, 2008
By Gitte Laasby Post-Tribune staff writer

WHITING -- BP projects it will release 1.5 million to 2 million tons more carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas -- after its Whiting expansion is complete in 2011.

"Part of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions is related to the increased heat and hydrogen production required to refine heavy Canadian oil. Another factor is the increased gasoline output -- you're using more energy to make more gas and that increases CO2 output," said BP spokesman Scott Dean.

"Without local expansions, the Midwest will import more gasoline which will increase greenhouse gases from other refineries that will expand to meet demand."

Carbon dioxide is not a regulated pollutant, which means there's no limit on it in BP's proposed air permit.

But BP was among the first corporations to recognize global warming in 1998, and environmentalists question how the 30-40 percent increase fits with BP's corporate image of reducing greenhouse gases.

"BP, having talked the talk about global warming solutions, ought to walk the walk in terms of pollution coming from its refinery expansion," said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center.

He said BP should offset the increase by implementing control technology at the refinery and investing in energy efficient buildings, renewable energy, restoration of wetlands.

Environmentalists say the Indiana Department of Environmental Management should not permit such a large increase when Great Lakes states are trying to reduce emissions.

Learner said although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency doesn't currently regulate carbon dioxide, legislation is likely in the near future because a Supreme Court decision from 2007 established that the Clean Air Act -- under which BP's permit will be issued -- covers carbon dioxide. Learner said environmental groups intend to raise that issue with EPA and IDEM in written comments and during a hearing about BP's permit in Hammond Feb. 25.

Dean said BP supports international and national solutions on carbon dioxide, such as a cap-and-trade program like the one used in Europe.

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