Stakes high for BP air hearing
Stakes high for BP air hearing
March 14, 2008
By Gitte Laasby Post-Tribune staff writer
WHITING -- The stakes are high ahead of tonight's public hearing on BP Whiting's air permit.
BP representatives say the project can't go forward without an air permit. At a briefing Thursday, they called the modernization project a "a home run," saying it would increase gasoline production by 15 percent while decreasing overall pollution and providing a secure, regional energy source.
Environmentalists say the permit is severely flawed and that BP and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management might have to go back to the drawing board. They say the permit fails to regulate greenhouse gases and that it underestimates pollution from some sources, which would have triggered rules requiring BP to use more pollution control equipment.
BP admits it will increase emissions of sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and lead, and that greenhouse gas emissions will likely increase by 1.5 million to 2 million tons per year. IDEM did not include limits on greenhouse gases in the permit, saying they're not required to do so. Environmentalists disagree.
"I think everyone is billing it as a policy matter, but from our standpoint, we think it's pretty clearly a Clean Air Act requirement that has not been complied with historically and needs to be complied with now," said Ann Alexander, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Environmental groups including the NRDC have challenged other permits in court on those grounds, including ones for a Conoco refinery in Wood River, Ill., and a number of coal-fired power plants, and are awaiting a court decision. BP's permit may also be challenged in court.
BP officials said they've already done much to lower greenhouse gas emissions by using more energy-efficient units.
"A project team has been working to minimize those emissions and look for energy efficiency everywhere we can find them," said Stan Sorrels, BP Whiting's health, safety, security and environmental manager. "The best way we can do that is by reduction of energy consumption."
BP says it's spending $1.4 billion on environmental improvements, including $570 million on environmental controls.
Environmental groups, including the NRDC and the Legal Environmental Aid Foundation of Indiana, have argued that BP is also underestimating pollution from three new flares it's building.
"To draw up an assumption that the flares are never going to be used is ludicrous. To claim this is acceptable because they're only going to be used in an emergency is a huge loophole because these emergencies are certain to be used with some frequency," Alexander said, adding emergency emissions should also be included in BP's emission calculations. "The calculations assume they'll be off in perpetuity."
Sorrels said flare gas will be captured and recovered during normal operation and only released in an emergency, such as a power outage.
"In an emergency, we do have to have pressure relief," Sorrels said. "Routine operations shouldn't need a flare."
IDEM spokeswoman Sandra Flum said IDEM has already received more than 100 comments on BP's permit.
BP representatives said they're hopeful the permit will be issued by June 1.