By MICHAEL TARM
U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel angrily accused both the BP oil refinery
and federal regulators of failing to live up to commitments to
protect the lake that supplies drinking water to tens of millions
of Americans in four states.
"The question is -- are you doing your job as a regulator, or
are you partners with industry?" the Chicago Democrat asked
officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which
hosted the sometimes-contentious forum.
"This is one of the most significant issues for the Great Lakes
in 30 years," added David Ullrich, of the Great Lakes and St.
Lawrence Cities Initiative.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued the
permit allowing BP to increase its daily dumping of ammonia and
silt into Lake Michigan by 2011 as part of a $3.8 billion expansion
of its Whiting, Ind., refinery -- located several miles southeast of
Chicago and just beyond the Illinois border.
Critics say that amounts to a reversal of decades-long efforts
to reduce pollution levels.
"We do not feel that backsliding is acceptable," said Sadhu
Johnston, Chicago's chief environmental officer.
An embattled BP representative, sitting in the small conference
room filled mainly with critics, insisted the amount of pollution
would fall well within federal guidelines and that "the water's
not going to be damaged."
But Steve Elbert also sounded conciliatory, saying BP was open
to proposals that might reduce any risks.
"We're a lot of things, but I hope stupid's not among them,"
said Elbert, vice chairman of BP America. "We thought we'd done a
good job reaching out ... obviously a lot of folks think it was
inadequate."
Thomas Easterly, commissioner of the Indiana Department of
Environmental Management, also fended off accusations that too
little public discussion preceded its decision to grant the BP
permit.
"I've heard people thought it was done in secret -- it wasn't,"
he said. "Indiana's frustration is that we've been trying to
engage the public in a discussion since January ... and we didn't
get any constructive input on how we could do better."
Easterly told reporters later that the permit could be revoked --
if there was a good reason to do so.
"I see no cause now," he said.
Other participants from Illinois said the matter is striking a
chord now, however belatedly.
"We've never seen such a visceral response to an environmental
issue," Max Muller, of Environment Illinois, told the gathering,
putting his hand on a stack of petitions with 70,000 signatures
opposing the BP permit.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is among the many detractors. He
has urged Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to rescind the BP permit and
said Illinois officials will consider legal action if he doesn't.
The head of the regional EPA, Mary Gade -- who defended the green
light the federal regulator gave to the BP permit -- also
acknowledged that the matter had provoked a "firestorm of
outrage."
To help address public concerns, Gade called for BP to consider
going beyond permitment requirements to minimize potential threats
to the lake. Another EPA official said BP should consider helping
to offset any damage its discharge causes by agreeing to fund Lake
Michigan cleanup projects elsewhere.
Chicago officials were among the participants pledging to work
with BP.
But Chicago Water Management Commissioner John Spatz also noted
how the city reversed the Chicago River's flow more than 100 years
ago to keep sewage from spilling into drinking water in Lake
Michigan.
"That's how seriously we take drinking water. ... We turn
rivers around," he said. "You don't want to test the resolve of
the city of Chicago."
Copyright © 2007, The Associated Press
