Fed-up neighbors held protest signs and filled a conference room in Whiting, Ind. Thursday, urging state regulators to take action in the wake of multiple incidents at a nearby oil refinery.
Operated by British Petroleum, the refinery has stood near Lake Michigan for more than a century. But in the past month, the Whiting BP refinery suffered multiple leaks and a shutdown.
“I think we just have to open our mouths and not put up with this,” resident Lynn Haynes said as she arrived at the meeting run by Indiana’s Department of Environmental Management. “There’s more days you just smell something. It’s terrible. You can’t even breathe.”
State regulators must decide whether to renew BP’s air permit. The five-year renewal is getting a lot of attention in the wake of the incidents.
In January, two separate leaks sent fumes and nasty smells into the air as BP was forced to burn off chemicals. The smell even reached parts of Illinois.
In early February, a sudden power outage left the plant shutdown indefinitely.
“We need to know immediately when that plant is in trouble to be ready to stay indoors or leave,” said Carolyn Marsh, a resident who urged officials to deny BP’s permit, or at least install more monitors and warning systems.
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Supporters of the refinery point to the plant’s economic impact, including 1,800 union jobs in an area filled with industrial plants.
Residents have until Monday to make their voices heard regarding the permit renewal, but officials warned there are limits to how much the state can regulate.
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“You come here and ask us to do more. I’m telling you, we’re doing as much as we can based on the laws we have,” Matt Stuckey said.
Stuckey, who works with IDEM, spoke at the meeting.
“If you don’t like the laws, unfortunately, the best way to fix that is to change the laws,” he said to the crowd.
In a statement to NBC Chicago, a statement from a BP spokesperson said:
"BP is committed to safe and compliant operations at the Whiting Refinery – and we’re also committed to being a good neighbor in Northwest Indiana, where we have been a major investor, employer, fuel supplier and member of the community for more than 130 years.
"An air permit is essential to the refinery’s ability to continue operating, and renewing it will enable bp to continue to make investments in the site – and the region's economy – for years to come.
:We recognize that the IDEM hearing is not a venue for broader concerns related to recent operational incidents at the refinery, but we are committed to hearing from the community, sincerely listening and working closely with IDEM and the community to address questions."
