SR0306 LRB095 12807 CMK 38199 r

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SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The beaches of Lake Michigan provide a significant
3 source of tourism income for the State of Illinois and other
4 states bordering the Lake; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The British Petroleum oil refinery in Whiting,
6 Indiana is planning an expansion that would increase the
7 refinery's discharges into the Lake significantly, including
8 54% more ammonia and 35% more sludge on a daily basis; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The total amount of ammonia that British Petroleum
10 will be discharging into the Lake on a daily basis is 1,584
11 pounds and the total amount of sludge that British Petroleum
12 will be discharging into the Lake on a daily basis is 4,925
13 pounds; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Ammonia promotes algae blooms that can kill fish
15 and trigger beach closings on the Lake; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The sludge that will be discharged into the Lake
17 by British Petroleum is full of concentrated heavy metals,
18 including mercury; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Last year, 81% of Illinois beaches were declared
20 unsafe due to algae and other pollution problems; therefore, be

 

 

SR0306 - 2 - LRB095 12807 CMK 38199 r

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2     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
3 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we strongly urge the
4 United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois
5 delegation to the United States Congress to block the permit
6 allowing British Petroleum to increase ammonia and sludge
7 discharges into Lake Michigan; and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 delivered to each member of the Illinois delegation to the
10 United States Congress, to the President of the United States,
11 George W. Bush, to the administrator of the United States
12 Environmental Protection Agency, Stephen L. Johnson, and to the
13 Great Lakes National Program Manager for the United States
14 Environmental Protection Agency, Mary A. Gade.