By James D. Wolf Jr., Post-Tribune staff report
CHESTERTON -- The permit the state granted BP of Whiting to dumping more pollution into Lake Michigan might not have been the reason the Hoosier Environmental Council convened a meeting of people in Northwest Indiana concerned about the environment.
But that and a similar permit issue for U.S. Steel, which has a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, received a lot of the attention Saturday at the environmental forum at the Chesterton library.
From the first forum for this region, the concerns raised by about 40 people will become part of the statewide agenda when the eight regions meet at the annual conference in September.
It's a grass-roots effort to get elected officials to listen to people's concerns and reflect it in policy, said Clarke Kahlo, HEC director of regional advancement and education.
Many voiced concern that business interests were better at controlling the media and politicians.
"The current system is not getting it done," Kahlo said.
"One of the reasons they don't listen is they perceive no political risk," he said, adding that environmental issues have affected the outcome of elections in Indiana.
Longtime activist Dorothy Alabach of Valparaiso said they need to challenge the perspective of opponents.
"We're not all ignorant rustics," she said.
Areas of concern that people identified included laws, accountability for those laws, alternative transportation, invasive species and open space preservation.
Bob Lehman of Portage, who described himself as an environmentalist since being a Cub Scout, included among key points the need to inform the public.
People don't pay attention to so many issues like the BP permit until those issues come to the forefront, Lehman said.
Indiana Department of Transportation environmental worker Susan Staffeld said she attended the meeting looking for ways to incorporate these concerns into INDOT practices.
Todd Rozycki, a Republican candidate for Chesterton Town Council, said he wanted to see what the issues were.
Besides becoming part of the state agenda, Saturday's issues also will become the regional agenda for a council of five to 14 people who will advocate for better policies on a local level, Kahlo said.
The hearing for U.S. Steel's 177-page proposal is at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Gary Public Library, 220 W. 5th Ave.