Durbin, Emanuel Support Large-Scale Community Effort to Stop BP from Dumping More Ammonia and Solid Waste into Lake Michigan

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) stood with community leaders and environmental activists to call on BP to reconsider plans to increase their dumping of ammonia and solid waste into Lake Michigan. Illinois Durbin and Emanuel joined forces with hundreds of Illinois residents who are mobilizing to send BP and the State of Indiana a message that Lake Michigan should be protected from pollution.

"More than 30 years ago, the Clean Water Act became law with the goal to restore and maintain the integrity of our nation's waters," Durbin said. "Pollution accumulates over time. So, if we allow BP to dump more today, we'll have to redouble our efforts to maintain a clean Lake tomorrow. BP presents itself as an environmental steward, yet proposes more pollution in Lake Michigan. The corporation earned net profits of $60 billion over the last three years. That's billion with a ‘b'. Can they do more to protect our Lake? Absolutely. Will they? Not if our efforts to hold them accountable stop today. We plan to continue to fight this in Washington and I hope the people volunteering and signing petitions today will keep fighting as well. Together we just might stop this unnecessary dumping and preserve our Great Lake."

"The Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the planet, and they provide drinking water for more than 30 million Americans per year. As President Bush has said, the Great Lakes are truly a ‘national treasure,'" said Emanuel. "Thanks to the hard work of citizens, environmentalists, and elected officials, the health of the Great Lakes is improving. But their health is still in danger from pollution and allowing BP to dramatically increase the amount of industrial runoff they dump in Lake Michigan will only further endanger the ecological web and threaten the beauty of our shores."

Yesterday, Durbin and Emanuel sent a letter to Robert Malone, the President of BP America, inviting him to meet with members of the Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan Congressional delegation in Washington to discuss BP's plans. The Congressmen will work to get a commitment from Malone and coordinate the meeting in the coming weeks.

Earlier this week, Durbin and Emanuel sent a letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen L. Johnson asking the EPA to clarify their role in approving a permit issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to allow BP to increase the amount of ammonia and solid waste dumped into Lake Michigan by 54% and 35%, respectively, when BP expands its refinery in Whiting, Indiana. Additionally, the two Illinois lawmakers called on Tony Hayward, Chief Executive Officer of BP, to reconsider BP's decision to dump more ammonia and "sludge" into Lake Michigan.

Next Tuesday, July 24th at 10:30 a.m., the U.S. House of Representatives will consider a bill introduced by Emanuel and U.S. Representative Vernon J. Ehlers (R-MI) expressing Congress' disapproval of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's issuance of a permit.

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