Politicians and environmentalists are rallying against the decision to allow British
Petroleum to dump more pollution into the Great Lakes. Laura Weber reports the
plan to expand a BP refinery is met with debate:
Transcript
Politicians and environmentalists are rallying against the decision to allow British
Petroleum to dump more pollution into the Great Lakes. Laura Weber reports the
plan to expand a BP refinery is met with debate:
British Petroleum is the first company approved to dump more pollution since the Clean Water Act was amended in 1977. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson says BP will be allowed to continue
expansion plans to the refinery near Lake Michigan as long as it remains compliant
with federal law. But some environmentalists and politicians think any additional
pollution is unacceptable.
Environment Michigan Director Mike Shriberg says the biggest problem with BP’s
permit is not the excess pollution… it’s the precedent it sets:
“By allowing BP to increase its toxic dumping, other companies are going to want
to have those same exemptions.”
The city of Chicago is threatening a lawsuit against BP if the company is not
willing to discuss ways to avoid dumping more pollution in the Great Lakes.
For the Environment Report, I’m Laura Weber.