Something I Hadn't Thought Of
This morning, I was whining and complaining to nobody in particular that the gas at my local Costco was actually (heaven forbid) a penny more expensive than the BP at the corner. (Note: It's usually 10 cents under all competitors save for that BP, which competes with it fiercely, but today, the BP was actually cheaper, and their prices were very close to all the other gas stations.) We all whine and complain about how much gas costs (you'd be shocked to hear how much I spend monthly), but we really don't think about how the gas industry could change things, or what the gas industry is doing at all. Some of us do, but that's usually the thoughts of how prices are high because of the issues in the Middle East and such, and rarely think beyond that. What about closer to home?
There was a BP Factory in Whiting, Indiana that got featured a good deal in the Chicago Tribune regarding its waste management practices, etc. It has been accused of dumping ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan, and apparently has been approved to dump what some people call "significantly more." The debate seems fairly heated, with BP standing strong on its stance that they are a very environmentally friendly company.
BP stresses that it only deposits only treated water into Lake Michigan. "What is released from our refinery is treated water that is more than 99.9% water--not sludge. All sludge is treated separately, according to state and federal requirements, and never discharged into Lake Michigan." I admit that my first thought on that statement was skepticism, but I can see how it would be true. They are well within the legally allowed limits, and go on to say that "[a] new water discharge permit allows the refinery's average ammonia discharge to increase, but at levels that will still be less than half of those that federal environmental guidelines could allow."
I can respect their stance, and agree that if the numbers are correct, which I doubt they would lie about, then they are well within their rights to continue as they are doing. I do not believe that BP is doing anything legally wrong in this. As far as environmental wrongdoing? Well, I really don't think they're fully to blame. They could try to locate some other means of disposing of the treated water used within the plant, but no company will spend the funds required to find such a solition when the government bodies allow such simpler methods. I disagree, instead, with the government's stance that it is acceptable to put any factory byproduct into Lake Michigan (or any other public body of water), no matter how much they control the amount of discharge put into said body.
It really puts my mind into perspective. While I'm worrying about whether or not I can afford gas to get myself to work, there are people wondering if the over-time discharge of things like ammonia into the lake will kill all of the fish, or make them unsafe for consumption, so that local pleasure fishers don't really have the ability to take home their 'big catch.' But this plant provides fuel for the Mid West, and without fuel, some of those boats wouldn't even make it to their favorite spot on Lake Michigan's glassy waters.
It's a toss up, and I wonder when or if it will ever truly be resolved. As it stands, clean water and environment are important, but so is transportation and America's economy. The two are equally pressing, and I do not believe that we can choose one over the other completely, even if we do show favoritism to one cause or the other. In the end, one has to give for the other to thrive. Which is more important to us now? Lowering gas prices, or keeping the environment clean? Looking at it that way, people would say clean environment, but it really isn't as simple as all that, is it?
There was a BP Factory in Whiting, Indiana that got featured a good deal in the Chicago Tribune regarding its waste management practices, etc. It has been accused of dumping ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan, and apparently has been approved to dump what some people call "significantly more." The debate seems fairly heated, with BP standing strong on its stance that they are a very environmentally friendly company.
BP stresses that it only deposits only treated water into Lake Michigan. "What is released from our refinery is treated water that is more than 99.9% water--not sludge. All sludge is treated separately, according to state and federal requirements, and never discharged into Lake Michigan." I admit that my first thought on that statement was skepticism, but I can see how it would be true. They are well within the legally allowed limits, and go on to say that "[a] new water discharge permit allows the refinery's average ammonia discharge to increase, but at levels that will still be less than half of those that federal environmental guidelines could allow."
I can respect their stance, and agree that if the numbers are correct, which I doubt they would lie about, then they are well within their rights to continue as they are doing. I do not believe that BP is doing anything legally wrong in this. As far as environmental wrongdoing? Well, I really don't think they're fully to blame. They could try to locate some other means of disposing of the treated water used within the plant, but no company will spend the funds required to find such a solition when the government bodies allow such simpler methods. I disagree, instead, with the government's stance that it is acceptable to put any factory byproduct into Lake Michigan (or any other public body of water), no matter how much they control the amount of discharge put into said body.
It really puts my mind into perspective. While I'm worrying about whether or not I can afford gas to get myself to work, there are people wondering if the over-time discharge of things like ammonia into the lake will kill all of the fish, or make them unsafe for consumption, so that local pleasure fishers don't really have the ability to take home their 'big catch.' But this plant provides fuel for the Mid West, and without fuel, some of those boats wouldn't even make it to their favorite spot on Lake Michigan's glassy waters.
It's a toss up, and I wonder when or if it will ever truly be resolved. As it stands, clean water and environment are important, but so is transportation and America's economy. The two are equally pressing, and I do not believe that we can choose one over the other completely, even if we do show favoritism to one cause or the other. In the end, one has to give for the other to thrive. Which is more important to us now? Lowering gas prices, or keeping the environment clean? Looking at it that way, people would say clean environment, but it really isn't as simple as all that, is it?