Upton Hails House Action Condemning More Dumping in Lake Michigan

Press Release

Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), a member of the Great Lakes Caucus, applauded today's House passage of legislation that condemns the recent state of Indiana decision to allow British Petroleum (BP) to increase the amount of contaminants dumped in Lake Michigan. H.Con.Res 187 expresses the sense of Congress' disapproval "of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's issuance of a permit allowing BP to increase their daily dumping of ammonia and total suspended solids into Lake Michigan" and states that "the United States Environmental Protection Agency should not allow increased dumping of chemicals and pollutants into the Great Lakes." The bipartisan measure overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 387 to 26.

"While it is imperative that we boost our refining capacity as a nation to lessen our dependence on Mideast oil, we must do so in a responsible manner to ensure that we do not compromise the integrity of our natural resources," said Upton. "Our Great Lakes, and Lake Michigan in particular, provide the very foundation of our livelihood, and the potential increase in dumping of harmful contaminants into our waters wholly unacceptable."

Last week Upton spoke to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels to discuss the state environmental exemptions recently granted to BP to expand its refinery along Lake Michigan in Whiting, Indiana. Upton expressed grave concern to the Governor and strongly urged him to discontinue this dangerous course of action. With the exemptions, the State of Indiana has essentially given a green light to BP to increase its daily dumping to an average of 1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of total suspended solids (TSS) into Lake Michigan per day, an inconceivable increase of 54% and 35% respectively.

"I am encouraged that my colleagues in Congress joined with me today to disapprove of further dumping into Lake Michigan and pass this resolution," said Upton. "The Great Lakes form the largest fresh water system on earth and provide 95% of the United States and over one fifth of the world's water supply. Our health - and the health of future generations - depends on our ability to wisely manage this fragile ecosystem."

Increases in ammonia levels promote algae blooms that can kill fish and trigger beach closings. Total Suspended Solids are also harmful to the ecosystem in a variety of respects - these solids settle to the bottom of the water body, often choking or drowning aquatic life and also interfering with fish spawning. TSS discharges also contribute to algae blooms, which not only overtake the native ecosystem by taking nutrients away from the surrounding plantlife, but also feed harmful bacteria which remove all the oxygen, kill aquatic life and ruin beaches.

The text of H.Con.Res. 187:

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the dumping of industrial waste into the Great Lakes.

Whereas the Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the planet;

Whereas the Great Lakes account for 95 percent of the United States' surface fresh water and about 21 percent of the world's supply;

Whereas the Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million Americans;

Whereas, on May 18, 2004, President George W. Bush said `the Great Lakes are a national treasure';

Whereas Congress has expressed its commitment to protecting the Great Lakes from pollutants and contaminants through the Clean Water Act and subsequent legislation;

Whereas the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environment Canada joined together in promulgating the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy to eliminate the presence of persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes basin;

Whereas the `mixing zones' that dilute toxic chemicals discharged into the Great Lakes system have been controversial as a possible threat to humans, fish and wildlife;

Whereas the Great Lakes are plagued by pollutants such as mercury, PCBs, ammonia, DDT, alkylated lead, hexachlorobenzene, TCDD, toxaphene, and others;

Whereas high amounts of ammonia can cause algae blooms that threaten fish and water quality;

Whereas the Indiana Department of Environmental Management recently issued a permit to BP PLC to allow their facility in Whiting, IN, to release 54 percent more ammonia and 35 percent more total suspended solids into Lake Michigan each day;

Whereas the BP Whiting facility will now be allowed to dump an average of 1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of total suspended solids daily into Lake Michigan;

Whereas the Great Lakes already face myriad challenges from chemicals and pollutants, including a steep increase in fish consumption warnings and record numbers of beach closures; and

Whereas Congress has a clear role in protecting the Great Lakes as an entity that spans across State and international boundaries: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--

(1) Congress expresses its disapproval of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's issuance of a permit allowing BP to increase their daily dumping of ammonia and total suspended solids into Lake Michigan;

(2) Congress urges the State of Indiana to reconsider issuance of a permit allowing BP to increase their daily dumping of ammonia and total suspended solids into Lake Michigan;

(3) Congress should take action to protect and restore the Great Lakes;

(4) the United States Environmental Protection Agency's actions in the Great Lakes basin should be consistent with the goal of preserving and restoring the Great Lakes; and

(5) the United States Environmental Protection Agency should not allow increased dumping of chemicals and pollutants into the Great Lakes.

Source