08-01-07 by simpson
BP – Bumbling Petroleum – is deservedly under fire for plans to dump more toxic ammonia and mercury into Lake Michigan and spew more pollutants into the air as part of a necessary and what should have been welcome $3 billion upgrade at its Whiting, Ind., refinery.
Since March there have been a number of breakdowns at the plant, which makes most of the company’s gasoline for the Midwest. It has been limping along at about half capacity. The reduction was responsible for the exorbitant price spike and soaring refinery margins this spring.
So let me be crystal clear. Despite what oil industry shills lolling around in over-stuffed chairs might say, I want BP’s Whiting refinery expanded so that capacity and gasoline supply increase.
I just want it done right. I also expected BP would have spent enough money on maintenance to avoid the series of breakdowns here and along the Alaskan oil pipeline, as well as its Texas City refinery disaster.
Sadly they did not, but I digress.
Bumbling Petroleum (more apt than the self-styled and self-serving “Beyond Petroleum”) wants a 54% increase in ammonia and a 35% increase in solid waste including mercury that it dumps in the lake.
The technology exists to remove the offending material, but BP has persuaded the state of Indiana to issue a permit to allow the dumping. Apparently they need more space for processing the waste. Another possibility would be on-land sequestering and storage followed by removal to an appropriate disposal site.
The permit from Indiana comes despite protests from neighboring states, various mayors, governors, Representatives and Senators. The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 387-26 to urge Indiana to reconsider the permit.
Still pending before the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is the variance request for air emissions.
Here’s what makes no sense to me. Why has BP bumbled down this path and dug in its heels in the face of overwhelming opposition? The technology to avoid the increased pollution exists. Had they not squandered $45.73 billion buying back BP shares since 2000 to benefit the stock price and line executives’ pockets they would have had ample funds to do the Whiting refinery expansion right, to say nothing of maintaining equipment in Alaska and Texas City.
Instead they opted to position themselves on the cheap as the most environmentally friendly oil company, “beyond petroleum” as it were. Well, with friends like BP, the environment doesn’t need enemies