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An electrical fire Aug. 24 at a BP facility in Whiting, Indiana has led officials in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin to request and receive an emergency waiver of federal fuel regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Whiting BP facility produces 430,000 barrels per day. No deaths or injuries were reported in the fire, which was successfully extinguished. But damage to the facility led to the partial shutdown.
The temporary waiver, granted through Sept. 15, allows high volatility gasoline to be sold during the summer months, reducing fuel disruptions following the fire. Illinois officials said the waiver also means that Illinois corn farmers will provide needed fuel through their production of ethanol, a lower emission alternative to gasoline produced without ethanol.
“Because locally grown and produced biofuels can displace a large percentage of petroleum fuel, motorists can feel confident that they are not only purchasing an available, safe, high-quality fuel, but also that they are saving money at the pump and cleaning the air when they drive,” said Marty Marr, President of the Illinois Corn Growers Association.
Governor Pritzker announced today that his administration has taken steps to proactively address a shutdown at a BP facility in Whiting, Indiana caused by an electrical fire. Illinois, along with Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, requested and were granted an emergency waiver of federal fuel regulations from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“After learning of the electrical fire at the BP facility in Whiting, our administration has taken proactive steps to increase gas supply and reduce barriers so all Illinoisans have access to the fuel they need,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This coordinated effort with our neighboring states will reduce the chance of disruptions and keep the people and businesses of Illinois moving.”
The temporary waiver, which was granted through September 15, 2022, allows for high volatility gasoline to be sold during the summer months, reducing fuel disruptions following the fire which broke out on August 24. The waiver also means that Illinois corn farmers will provide the needed fuel through their ethanol production, which is a lower emission alternative to gasoline produced without ethanol. […]
“Illinois EPA has worked closely with our federal and state partners to minimize impacts from the temporary shutdown of the bp Whiting refinery,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “U.S. EPA’s approval of Governor Pritzker’s request for an emergency fuel waiver will help prevent major disruption to regional fuel supplies while still protecting the health and safety of Illinois residents.”
“BP is keeping us informed on their restart process as they safely protect their crews, responders, and the public,” said Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “We will continue to work with our local and state agencies to monitor the impacts.”
* Forbes…
The U.S. Department of Transportation has declared a regional emergency for Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin after a fire shut down the BP oil refinery in Whiting, Ind., the largest in the Midwest, though there hasn’t been an impact on gas prices so far.
The federal order temporarily lifts restrictions on the maximum working hours for truck drivers in the four states.
It’s not clear when the Whiting refinery, which is the sixth largest in the U.S., will get back online. […]
The months-long trend in sharply declining gas prices should not be affected by the Whiting shutdown, according to GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan, and he cautioned against consumers “panic” buying gas, which could cause a strain.
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 12:58 pm
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===”…but also that they are saving money at the pump and cleaning the air when they drive,” said Marty Marr,===
To nit pick, it doesn’t clean the air. It is slightly less polluting than regular fuel.
But it is good for farmers I suppose.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 1:04 pm
NBC reporting that the impact will be minimal…
“A major Midwestern oil refinery shut down by a fire should reopen in the next few days, its operators said Monday, and industry experts said the brief shutdown is unlikely to have a major effect on gas prices in the region”
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 1:07 pm
Another story of an explosion and damage at the Whiting refinery. This blast at the hydroformer and the resulting fire took over a week to extinguish and destroyed over sixty storage tanks in 1955.
https://www.industrialfireworld.com
Living near the refinery…it’s not if, but when is the next explosion.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 1:19 pm
===“Because locally grown and produced biofuels can displace a large percentage of petroleum fuel===
There’s droughts all over the place, a war in Ukraine, and what does America do with it’s corn crop? Burn it for fuel while we sit in the drive through at our favorite chicken establishment with questionable human rights records.
The real misleading thing here is that this doesn’t address the energy balance that we get from burning ethanol as a fuel isn’t that great and still represents a significant investment of fossil fuel energy put into the production, harvest, transportation, and brewing of the corn as well as the transportation of said fuel and the distillers grains.
But okay — lets go ahead and push this as good news and not a nightmare of being trapped in bad energy policy that was created by greed centered agribusinesses.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 1:28 pm
Lets burn our food when food inflation is double digits. Great idea…
Comment by 1st Ward Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 1:29 pm
let’s burn our food. When was the last time anyone ate field corn that wasn’t processed into corn syrup.
Comment by Blue Dog Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 2:37 pm
How many vehicles can use e-85? My prius can take max 15% ethanol.
The mental leap that ethanol is going to fill in for a gas shortage tripped over itself.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 2:46 pm
When I was a kid, my hometown would have a massive 4th of July parade sponsored by the local volunteer FD (one of the largest volunteer FDs in the state), and there would be a ton of firetrucks, and the Whiting refinery would send at least a half dozen pieces of equipment every year. The refinery had a lot of fire equipment.
When I was in HS or college there was a big chemical plant fire in town (even made the national news) and the refinery FD came out to help. When asked why our local Fire Cheif said “We have foam, we don’t have that much foam”
Also would have a ton of politicians and to 10-year-old OneMan, the fact Jim Thompson would talk to me for 20 seconds was really cool.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 3:27 pm
“When was the last time anyone ate field corn that wasn’t processed into corn syrup.”
There’s a newfangled device that you can process field corn through to make non-syrup food for people.
The foods are called “milk” and “meat,” and the device is called a “cow.”
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Aug 30, 22 @ 3:34 pm