BP won't boost Lake Michigan dumping

Whiting, Ind. -- BP America backed off plans to increase pollution discharges into Lake Michigan after public outrage over approval of a permit for its Whiting, Ind., refinery.

The refinery, three miles south of the Illinois-Indiana border, is planning a $3.8 billion expansion and the oil company had won approval from the state of Indiana and to dump substantially more liquid ammonia and sludge into the lake, the drinking water source for millions in the U.S. Midwest.

"Ongoing regional opposition to any increase in discharge permit limits for Lake Michigan creates an unacceptable level of business risk for this $3.8 billion investment," said a statement released Thursday by BP America Chairman and President Bob Malone. "We will not make use of the higher discharge limits in our new permit."

BP, which promotes its environmental consciousness in advertising, faced withering criticism after the Chicago Tribune ran a story about the project in July. More than 100,000 people signed petitions opposing the permit allowing increased dumping in the lake.

BP said the refinery expansion project, which would create 2,000 construction jobs and 80 permanent jobs at the 118-year-old refinery, would be changed and could even be canceled.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.