WHITING, Ind. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) –Some Northwest Indiana residents impacted by recent toxic pollution at the BP refinery in Whiting are planning to speak out during air permit renewal hearing next week.
“Enough is enough. This happens continuously,” said Susan Thomas with Just Transition Northwest Indiana, an environmental justice organization.
She is referring to fuel leaks that involved benzene and hydrogen sulfide vapors and then the burning off of excess gas during a power outage that sent smoke throughout the area.
“I spoke to a woman who was very upset. Her dogs were begging to come inside. Her 90-year-old mother couldn’t make it up the stairs. She was afraid to light, even turn on the gas stove,” Thomas said.
“She said the smell in her house was so intense and she’s not on social media. She didn’t know what was going on, She felt like there should have been some kind of direct communication.”
On Thursday, BP had a power outage and had to temporarily shut down the entire facility. Employees were evacuated and surrounding roads were closed. According to the city of Whiting, BP had to burn excess gas during the power outage to relieve pressure on the system. The excess gas caused the increased flaring.
Power had been restored at the refinery on Friday. BP said they have been monitoring the surrounding air and have not observed any elevated readings, according to the Northwest Times of Indiana.
Following the events, Just Transition issued a statement saying, “Once again, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has allowed industry to set the rules while they look the other way on oversight, enforcement, and transparency long owed to this region.”
Thomas said residents of the region deserve better.
Photo credit Matthew Kaplan
“They deserve to thrive in these communities. They should not be sacrifice zones to industry. People live there, they have families. They have children and elderly relatives,” she added.
“They don’t want to move. They enjoy their community.”
Her organization and others want to see more from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
The public hearing regarding the BP refinery’s air permit renewal takes place next Thursday at 6 p.m. at East Chicago High School.
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