"WHITING -- The Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued its final ruling on a permit application for BP's Whiting Refinery, requiring the company to cut its mercury releases into Lake Michigan by more than half."

"Dan Goldblatt, spokesman for IDEM, said BP was allowed to release no more than 23 parts per trillion under the previous National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit modification issued in February 2012.

The company now will be required to release no more than 8.75 ppt. The federal Clean Water Act requires discharges not to exceed 1.3 ppt, but Goldblatt said provisions exist to allow a higher amount while still meeting requirements of the act.

The new permit goes into effect Nov. 1."

Lauri Harvey Keagle reports for the Northwest Indiana Times September 25, 2013. [2]