Reps. Sak, Accavitti, Acciavatti, Ball, Bauer, Bennett, Bieda, Brandenburg, Brown, Caul, Clack, Constan, Dean, Ebli, Garfield, Gillard, Hammel, Hammon, Hansen, Hopgood, Horn, Robert Jones, David Law, LeBlanc, Leland, Lemmons, Marleau, Mayes, McDowell, Meekhof, Miller, Moore, Nitz, Palmer, Pastor, Pavlov, Pearce, Polidori, Rocca, Scott, Spade, Stahl, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Valentine and Ward offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 40.

            A concurrent resolution to oppose the proposed increase in materials discharged into Lake Michigan by British Petroleum at Whiting, Indiana.

            Whereas, Indiana environmental authorities, coordinating with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, approved a request by British Petroleum to dump 54 percent more ammonia and 35 percent more suspended solids into Lake Michigan at its Whiting, Indiana, refinery. News of this proposal has, understandably, generated an outcry from communities along Lake Michigan and from citizens across the Great Lakes region; and

            Whereas, As the source of drinking water for millions and as part of the world's largest accessible source of fresh water, Lake Michigan is a resource of priceless value. Commerce, recreation, and public health in our state and much of the nation and Canada are dependent on the quality of Great Lakes water; and

            Whereas, Ammonia and suspended solids can harm fish and wildlife, increase the cost of drinking water treatment, and adversely affect public health, fishing, and swimming. With the multiple threats facing the Great Lakes, allowing a significant increase in the discharge of harmful materials is poor public policy; and

            Whereas, Clearly, the quality of the Great Lakes cannot be compromised. Even with improvements that may have taken place over the years, we must not lose ground in the effort to protect this vitally important public resource. This permit would overturn longstanding policy prohibiting increased discharges to the Great Lakes and the use of mixing zones, and set an alarming precedent for future increased discharges to the Great Lakes; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we express our strong opposition to the proposed increase in materials discharged into Lake Michigan by British Petroleum at Whiting, Indiana; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the United State Environmental Protection Agency, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.