BP Whiting Refinery Expansion
The BP Whiting Refinery, located in Whiting, Indiana, has proposed an expansion to their existing facilities to allow the refinery to process crude oil from the Canadian tarsands. Currently, the refinery produces about 4.5 billion gallons of transportation fuel per year, enough to supply 5 million vehicles. Post expansion, the facility is expected to be able to produce enough fuel to supply 6 million automobiles.
Graphic:Treehugger.com
Whiting, Indiana is in Lake County, and is a densely populated area that is part of the Northern Indiana-Northern Illinois region, adjacent to southeast Michigan. The project will have significant air quality impacts for 3 states, with a projected increase in particulate matter emissions of 21%.
Project Status
Construction began in May of 2008. The project is expected to be completed in 2011.
There are 3 separate legal challenges that have been filed opposing the expansion:
- NRDC and the Environmental Law and policy center have filed an appeal of the air pollution permit granted to BP by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The Hearing is scheduled in November 2009.
- NRDC has filed a citizens suit in federal court, arguing that BP started expansion construction before the receiving the required permits.
- NRDC and Environmental Law and Policy Center have filed a petition to the U.S. EPA requesting the agency object to the Title V operating permit issued to the refinery.
Status Update: EPA Blocks Air Permit For Expansion
On October 19, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued an objection to the operating permit for the refinery expansion, originally granted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, requiring that they rewrite the permit.
The decision is a major victory for environmental and citizens groups, who petitioned the EPA to object to the permit in August of 2008 on the grounds it did not accurately account for the large increases in air pollution that would be caused by the refineries expansion.
More Information
- EPA’s press release and 10/19/09 order blocking the air permit.
- Environmental Law and Policy Center’s press release regarding the EPA’s decision to block the air permit
- Documents regarding NRDC and the Environmental Law and Policy Center’s air pollution permit lawsuit
- Documents regarding NRDC’s construction permits lawsuit
- Documents regarding NRDC and Environmental Law and Policy Center’s petition to the EPA objecting to the Title V operating permit issued to the refinery
- BP Whiting’s refinery expansion project website
