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As the Labor Day weekend drew near recently, the biggest headline throughout the midwest involved the surprising skyrocketing cost of fuel.

But for inhabitants of this Indiana town, oil has been presenting an altogether more serious issue.

Severe Weather and Plant Shutdown

A severe storm system moved through north-west Indiana on August 19th, dropping 6in of precipitation on the town, submerging roads and temporarily closing schools.

The deluge also shut down the oil giant's Whiting Refinery, the largest petroleum processing facility in the midwest, with a capacity to handle around 400,000 units of crude oil daily.

Residents residing around the facility promptly reported oil and gas fumes in their flooded basements, with some experiencing feeling lightheadedness and nauseous.

Area conditions, the company conceded, were “severe” with blaring sirens at the refinery contributing to the climate of fear for residents.

“There was a real problem; they were forced to shut down. Who knows what occurred,” says an area advocate.

Environmental and Health Concerns

“Waste materials they needed to remove out of their system had to go through the water filtration plant located on the banks of Lake Michigan. It's unknown what they poured into Lake Michigan.”

With the new federal relaxation of pollution and other regulations for large industrial companies, residents living in close proximity oil refining facilities are confronting ever greater threats.

Climate crisis – driven by burning the same hydrocarbons extracted by such corporations – threatens to bring increasingly severe weather events and flooding.

Growing Weather-Related Dangers

This season of continuous rain across parts of the midwest, scientists indicate that intense, brief downpours that can damage key infrastructure are expected to become a regular occurrence.

In July, the Chicago-area region that encompasses Whiting recorded a ‘extremely rare’ rain event that saw five inches of water fall in an hour and a half.

Based on climate analysts, global warming made recent storms that struck the central US significantly stronger.

Official Inspections and Violations

A state review of the refinery Whiting facility conducted recently found that “stormwater left noticeable petroleum on the ground”.

The following day, the state issued the operator a noncompliance report having observed a “visible oil slick” along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

A lightning strike from the identical storm also disrupted the refinery’s wastewater processing operations.

A BP spokesperson commented: “The Whiting refinery has detailed plans in place to manage extreme conditions. We will incorporate learnings from the August rain event.”

The company declined to a question regarding if plans exist to implement infrastructural improvements to better protect against coming severe climate events.

Past of Incidents and Public Distrust

In addition to the August flooding causing oil to run into local waterways, BP was also required to burn off large amounts of gas, releasing huge amounts of harmful carbon dioxide, natural gas and other hazardous gases.

Like many facilities of its kind, the Whiting location has been plagued by malfunctions.

Over a decade ago, BP began a massive dollar upgrade to process cheaper oil from northern oil sands.

But in 2019, environmental groups successfully sued BP for violating deadly air pollution standards, leading to a multi-million dollar settlement.

In August 2022, a blaze caused the refinery to close for over a week, resulting in a spike in fuel prices for many of consumers in the region.

In February 2024, the plant was shut down again due to a electrical failure, while last December, an underground gas pipeline leak was detected, needing emergency crews and prompting a angry response from locals.

“It started on December 26th and it smelled terrible. Residents were getting sick. There was no word from BP for some time,” says a community advocacy representative.

Company Responsibility and Public Impact

Over the course of decades, BP has been liable for some of the worst environmental disasters globally.

In 2010, the company's offshore oil rig spill caused the deaths of eleven people and the release of millions of gallons of crude into the ocean.

Oil plants are especially vulnerable to storms and water damage, according to research studies, which also indicated that many operators do not share these risks fully to investors and local communities.

However, polling suggests that global warming is low priority for some citizens, with only a small percentage saying it should be a top focus for government.

But energy companies are not acting to protect neighborhoods around their facilities, argue environmentalists.

“It's impossible to trust them,” notes a local resident. “The facility is really old plant, and that is truly alarming.”

Meanwhile, the refinery continues to loom large for residents in Whiting.

“People worry that it’s going to explode,” says a local member. “They’ve had far too many mishaps over the last few years.”