WHEATON—The July 13 Franciscan Federation resolution to respect and care for water, one of the earth’s most precious resources, comes on the heels of a controversy over BP Oil Corp.’s plan to dump per day an additional 1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of sludge into Lake Michigan. The Franciscan Federation declares a prayerful and an action-oriented response, placing precedence on corporate responsibility in regard to the environment.

BP’s recent announcement came under fire by Environment Illinois (EI), a nonprofit organization promoting a safe environment, and was chastised by congressmen largely from the Great Lakes Region and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. An EI spokesperson said the corporation’s plan to dump waste into Lake Michigan runs counter to its recently celebrated grant program designed to promote conservation and environmental awareness in schools throughout Illinois and Texas. Despite the fact that BP’s waste dump proposal falls below federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, the corporation’s plan was called into question by EI State Director Rebecca Stanfield who stated July 19 that the plant’s plan to “mitigate the new ammonia discharge” would be “ineffective” considering the “fragile ecosystem” of the lake. Daley’s July 19, concurred with Stanfield’s findings. He further noted that the dumping would have an adverse effect on Chicago’s beaches.  Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has threatened legal action against the state of Indiana if BP’s permit is not restricted.    

Meanwhile, BP’s plans further sparked the ire of leaders in the U.S. Senate and the House alike. Specifically, it conflicts with the existing Clean Water Act and contradicts the aim of a proposed bipartisan federal bill to preserve the integrity of the Great Lakes. In a charge led by representatives from the Great Lakes states, the House approved a resolution posed by Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., and Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., urging Indiana to reconsider its stance in support of plant expansion. With the prospect of 80 full-time jobs and 2,000 contract jobs in the wings, depending on BP authorization to move forward with refinery expansion, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has held firm to his position in favor of the petroleum giant.   

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the issuance of a fresh permit regarding the planned discharge of ammonia and sludge from BP’s refinery in Whiting, Ind. In a July 16 statement, Durbin questioned the authorization by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), the agency responsible for giving BP a green light for a $3.8 billion expansion plan that runs contrary to the federal Clean Water Act as well as Indiana’s anti-degradation policy. The senator directed the U.S. EPA to re-study its reasons for overriding the goals of the Clean Water Act.   

The rational behind JPIC opposition comes directly from the commitment by the Franciscan Federation, which in a July 2007 resolution focuses on a “right relationship” with all of creation on earth. “We are responsible for preserving water and passing it onto future generations. Increasingly, people, creatures and plants of the world find themselves grappling with the consequence of a diminished supply of safe water and the degradation of water quality.”

On the matter of safety, a letter authored by Durbin to the U.S. EPA’s assistant administrator, challenges the justification for issuing a BP permit. The senator described the permit as being “clearly out of step with the federal regulation.”

Illinois’ Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Deerfield, joined with several Great Lakes lawmakers in blasting BP’s plans for dumping ammonia and industrial sludge into the lake. As a co-sponsor together with Illinois’ Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Chicago, of a bill to clean up the Great Lakes and a commitment to protect it from further pollution, Kirk pointed out that the additional dumping would threaten the primary source of drinking water for Chicago and at least a dozen surrounding communities. At the same time, he highlights the threat to fish and the damage to the lake’s ecosystem.

A united front of bipartisan outrage over the issuance of a permit based on BP’s lack of storage space in Whiting comes from: U.S. Senators Durbin and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., along with U.S. Representatives Kirk, Lipinski, Rahm Emanuel, D-Chicago, Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, Mich., and Vernon Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids.  For an action oriented response visit: https://www.environmentillinois.org/action/protect-lake-michigan/bp-petition?id4=ES