Full Text of HR0548 96th General Assembly
HR0548 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HR0548 |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, In June of 2009, the United States Environmental | 3 |
| Protection Agency cited BP for violating the Clean Air Act at | 4 |
| its oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana; the EPA alleges that the | 5 |
| facility failed to manage benzene waste from 2003 through 2008 | 6 |
| as required by national emission standards; and
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| WHEREAS, For the past 6 years, BP has reportedly exceeded | 8 |
| federal limits on air pollution of benzene; in 2008, the | 9 |
| company processed over 16 times the federal limit of benzene; | 10 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, Health effects from benzene exposure can include | 12 |
| dizziness, eye, nose and throat irritation, upset stomach and | 13 |
| vomiting, irregular heartbeat, convulsions, and death; | 14 |
| long-term exposure to benzene can cause anemia, excessive | 15 |
| bleeding, and leukemia; and
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| WHEREAS, The EPA's citations add to other recent concerns | 17 |
| of pollution at the Whiting facility; in October of 2008, the | 18 |
| EPA cited BP for commencing construction at the facility | 19 |
| without obtaining the necessary permits for air pollution; in | 20 |
| July of 2007, Indiana state regulators approved a plan to allow | 21 |
| the BP facility to release increased levels of water pollution | 22 |
| into Lake Michigan; and
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HR0548 |
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LRB096 13324 GRL 28006 r |
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| WHEREAS, Pollution at the Whiting refinery is significant | 2 |
| to Illinois citizens because of the impact on water quality of | 3 |
| Lake Michigan and air quality in northern Illinois; and
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| WHEREAS, BP officials have indicated that plans to | 5 |
| modernize the plant, which was built in 1889, could help reduce | 6 |
| pollution levels; the company's current modernization project | 7 |
| includes $1.4 billion in environmental improvements; | 8 |
| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 10 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 11 |
| urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to | 12 |
| continue to monitor the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana and its | 13 |
| effects on neighboring states; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That we urge BP to take all possible steps to | 15 |
| modernize the Whiting, Indiana refinery in order to reduce air | 16 |
| and water pollution; and be it further | 17 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 18 |
| presented to the Administrator of the United States | 19 |
| Environmental Protection Agency and the BP Board of Directors.
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