[BCNnet] BP legislation in the U.S. Congress

[Carolyn A. Marsh]

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the dumping of industrial waste
into the Great Lakes. (Introduced in House) 
HCON 187 IH 

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H . CON. RES . 187 

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the dumping of industrial waste
into the Great Lakes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 18, 2007

Mr. EMANUEL submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the dumping of industrial waste
into the Great Lakes. 
Whereas the Great Lakes are the largest surface freshwater system on the
planet; 
Whereas the Great Lakes account for 95 percent of the United States' surface
fresh water and about 21 percent of the world's supply; 

Whereas the Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million
Americans; 
Whereas, on May 18, 2004, President George W. Bush said `the Great Lakes are
a national treasure'; 
Whereas Congress has expressed its commitment to protecting the Great Lakes
from pollutants and contaminants through the Clean Water Act and subsequent
legislation; 

Whereas the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
Environment Canada joined together in promulgating the Great Lakes
Binational Toxics Strategy to eliminate the presence of persistent toxic
substances in the Great Lakes basin; 

Whereas the `mixing zones' that dilute toxic chemicals discharged into the
Great Lakes system have been controversial as a possible threat to humans,
fish and wildlife; 

Whereas the Great Lakes are plagued by pollutants such as mercury, PCBs,
ammonia, DDT, alkylated lead, hexachlorobenzene, TCDD, toxaphene, and
others; 

Whereas high amounts of ammonia can cause algae blooms that threaten fish
and water quality; 
Whereas the Indiana Department of Environmental Management recently issued a
permit to BP PLC to allow their facility in Whiting, IN, to release 54
percent more ammonia and 35 percent more total suspended solids into Lake
Michigan each day; 

Whereas the BP Whiting facility will now be allowed to dump an average of
1,584 pounds of ammonia and 4,925 pounds of total suspended solids daily
into Lake Michigan; 

Whereas the Great Lakes already face myriad challenges from chemicals and
pollutants, including a steep increase in fish consumption warnings and
record numbers of beach closures; and 

Whereas Congress has a clear role in protecting the Great Lakes as an entity
that spans across State and international boundaries: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is
the sense of Congress that-- 

(1) Congress expresses its disapproval of the Indiana Department of
Environmental Management's issuance of a permit allowing BP to increase
their daily dumping of ammonia and total suspended solids into Lake
Michigan;

(2) Congress urges the State of Indiana to reconsider issuance of a permit
allowing BP to increase their daily dumping of ammonia and total suspended
solids into Lake Michigan;

(3) Congress should take action to protect and restore the Great Lakes; 
(4) the United States Environmental Protection Agency's actions in the Great
Lakes basin should be consistent with the goal of preserving and restoring
the Great Lakes; and

(5) the United States Environmental Protection Agency should not allow
increased dumping of chemicals and pollutants into the Great Lakes.

 

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