For those of you following the story, BP announced a $38 billion expansion of its NW Indiana facilities that includes releasing 54% more ammonia and 35% more sludge into Lake Michigan than they already do. In other words, the EPA plans to allow BP to dump an average of 1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of sludge into Lake Michigan every day.
I had received an email from my U.S. Senator Dick Durbin drawing my attention to the announcement and to the potential severe risks to the health of the lake. I immediately began emailing my friends-network asking for a letter campaign to BP in support of fresh water lake conservation.
The growing story then moved to Congress where a resolution was strongly passed (387-26) disapproving BP's intended actions.
On August 2, 2007, an article in the Chicago Sun Times leads with "Daley threatens to sue BP over lake pollution." Mayor Daley: "--the whole idea of quality of life: both the lake and the river. That is our [Chicago] front door, back door." BP spokeswoman, Valerie Cort called a Chicago lawsuit "hypothetical." She said the expansion would include an outreach to help people understand its "dimensions." And the company seeks dialogue with the city.
Lake Michigan is a national treasure. Upon seeing the lake for the first time, some out-of-towners say it looks more like a sea. In the winter the waves crash overhead on the break water, and in the summer small boats play on the still blue waters.
At what point in the history of this grand country of ours do we allow BP to sell us ever more massive quantities of oil and gasoline? At what point do we allow BP to pollute the Great Lake Michigan? Is now the time we allow this to happen?
Let us conserve and boycott. And rejoice as we break the cycle.