BP America Vice Chairman Stephen Elbert addresses members of the media Wednesday after the Lake Michigan Summit. BP, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came under a slew of criticism over BP's expanded wastewater permit. Officials of BP and the government agencies called the criticism frustrating, considering the approval came well after public hearings. NATALIE BATTAGLIA | THE TIMES
CHICAGO | BP will explore other water treatment ideas, the company said in a meeting Wednesday in Chicago, where it endured a slew of complaints and suggestions from environmentalists and lawmakers.
Although BP America Vice Chairman Stephen Elbert called the company's wastewater permit "protective of Lake Michigan," he told the so-called Lake Michigan Summit that his company would "seriously consider" new treatment options.
During the sometimes impassioned exchanges -- which included criticism of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Tom Easterly said BP's permit could be amended should viable alternatives develop.
"The door's not closed to modify a permit, ever," Easterly said.
Elbert said he would entrust a combined research team from Purdue University Calumet's Water Institute and Argonne National Laboratory to assess the feasibility of the suggestions.
In an interview, Elbert said he would support spending money on alternative technologies, if they "fall within the economic boundaries of the project."
The city of Chicago presented ideas elicited from an outside engineering consulting firm, including methods the firm says are being used at other refineries.
The findings stem from a $10,000 project commissioned by the city last month to evaluate BP's dumping.
In an interview, Elbert called Chicago's ideas an "exercise of what can be done on paper," that might not reflect what's possible.
Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Chicago, chastised the EPA and BP, calling BP "not honest" and questioning the EPA's oversight.
"Are you doing your job as a regulator?" he asked EPA Region 5 administrator Mary Gade. He called for a review of the EPA, and said he plans to send a letter to BP investors, chastising the company's actions.
Ann Alexander, National Resources Defense Council attorney, echoed Emanuel's disapproval of the EPA.
"It's their job to be overseeing what's going on in Indiana," Alexander said. "The EPA could've jumped in and said, 'Wait, you need to do more.'"
Gade expressed confidence that her EPA staff properly reviewed BP's permit.
Among the EPA's suggested options would be diverting waste streams into other nearby treatment plants, such as sanitary districts in Hammond, East Chicago or Gary.
Adolfo Velez, utilities director for East Chicago sanitation, said that would depend on the volume and contents of the water.
"The (East Chicago) plant can only handle so much," Velez said.
No one from the EPA had contacted him about the suggestion, he said.
IDEM's Easterly expressed frustration that outrage over the permit -- which allows more ammonia and suspended solids discharges into the lake -- came after public hearings, but joined others in calling the summit "productive."
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., praised the summit and called the evaluations "crucial to the success of addressing Great Lakes discharge."
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